2023-11-05 07:45:00
Editor’s note: Before starting any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you experience pain.
(CNN) — Head to any gym and you might find someone walking backwards on a treadmill or pedaling in reverse on an elliptical machine. While some may be employing reverse movement as part of a physical therapy regimen, others may be doing it to improve their overall fitness and health.
“I think it’s amazing to add a little back movement to your day,” says Grayson Wickham, a physical therapist at Lux Physical Therapy and Functional Medicine in New York. “Nowadays, people spend too much time sitting and also lack varied movements.”
There have been quite a few studies done on the potential benefits of reverse walking, a common term for walking backwards. In a March 2021 study, Participants who walked backwards on a treadmill for 30 minutes straight over four weeks increased their balance, walking pace, and cardiopulmonary fitness.
Additionally, a group of women reduced their body fat and improved their cardiorespiratory fitness following a six-week program of running and walking backwards, according to a clinical trial The results of which were published in an April 2005 issue of the International Journal of Sports Medicine.
Other studies indicate that backward movement can help those suffering from knee osteoarthritis and chronic back pain, as well as improve gait and balance.
Walking backwards can even sharpen the mind and help you become more aware, as the brain needs to be more alert when moving in this novel way. For this reason, in addition to the fact that backward walking helps with balance, older adults can especially benefit from incorporating some backward walking into their routine, such as indicates a 2021 study.
Change the muscles you use
Why is backward movement so useful? “When you push forward, that’s a hamstring-dominant movement,” said Landry Estes, a certified strength and conditioning specialist in College Station, Texas. “If you’re walking backwards, it’s a role reversal, where your quads are engaging and you’re doing knee extensions.”
As a result, you are working different muscles, which is always beneficial, in addition to gaining strength. “Strength overcomes many deficiencies,” Estes says.
You also move your body in an atypical way. Most people spend their days living and moving in the sagittal plane (forward and backward movement), and almost exclusively in the forward sagittal plane, Wickham said.
“The body adapts to the most frequent positions, movements and postures,” explains Wickham. “This can cause strain on muscles and joints, leading to joint compensation that leads to joint wear and tear and therefore pain and injury. The more we can add varied movements to our daily activities or in the gym, the more beneficial it will be for the body.
How to start a reverse walking routine
Backward movement is not a new idea. In China they have been walking backwards for physical and mental health for centuries. Moving backwards is also common in sport: think regarding soccer players and referees.
There are even some backwards running and walking races, as well as people moving in reverse while competing in famous events like the Boston Marathon. Loren Zitomersky did it in 2018 to raise funds for epilepsy research and try to break a world record. (He achieved the first, but not the second).
Getting started is pretty easy. The key, as with any new exercise, is to go little by little. You can start by walking backwards for five minutes several times a week, says Wickham. Or take a 20-minute walk, five of them in reverse. As your body gets used to the movement, you can increase the time and pace or try more challenging moves, like walking backwards squat.
“If you’re young and exercise regularly, you can probably walk backwards for as long as you want,” explains Wickham. “It’s relatively safe per se.”
Outdoors vs. treadmills
Walking backwards pulling a sled is one of Estes’ favorite exercises. But he says it’s also great to walk backwards on a self-propelled treadmill if you can find one. Although motorized treadmills are also an option, it’s more beneficial to work on your own strength, Estes says.
If you choose to reverse on a treadmill, especially if it is motorized, start by holding the handrails and adjusting the speed to a fairly slow pace. As you get used to the movement you can walk faster, increase the incline, and release the handrails.
If you decide to try it outdoors, first choose a hazard-free location, such as a grassy area in a park. Then begin your retro adventure, keeping your head and chest up.
Although you may have to look over your shoulder from time to time, you don’t want to do it constantly, as your body twists. Another option is to walk with a friend who moves forward and can serve as eyes. After a few minutes, switch roles so your friend can also enjoy the benefits.
“It’s great to do varied movements,” says Wickham. “And one of them is doing things backwards.”
Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer specializing in hiking, travel and fitness.
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