meI’ve spent my whole life walking happily in one direction: forward. It was, I believed, the only way to go, so I diligently logged dozens of miles a month just like anyone else for a morning walk.
Not more. Thanks to TikTok, I discovered a new (at least for me) twist on walking: walking backwards, also known as retro-walking. While it’s trending on social media platforms right now, physical therapists and fitness trainers have been touting its benefits for years. It’s a low-impact way to burn calories, strengthen your legs, test your coordination and even improve pain, experts say, which drew me to my quiet, rural street one afternoon to give – him a turn
After about 50 steps, I realized that going backwards was no walk in the park. this burned. I could feel the change in my lower legs in a way that I couldn’t with normal walking, unless I was going up a hill. There was also a mental challenge (beyond ignoring the odd looks from my neighbors). I had no idea what was behind me, so I had to use all my senses to stay upright and not trip over any unexpected obstacles, including my hiking partner who was a bit faster and, therefore, a couple of steps behind me.
When I spoke to a handful of experts about my surprisingly fun retro-hiking expedition, they agreed that more people should make it part of their routine. Here’s a look at why.
It’s great for seniors
Walking backwards is an underrated way to engage your glutes, shins, and the muscles in your feet and ankles, says Joe Meier, a Minnesota personal trainer and author of Elevator for life. In addition, it mitigates the impact of each step, reducing the force exerted on the knees and lower back. Part of its appeal, he adds, is that it’s so accessible and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Read more: Why walking isn’t enough when it comes to exercise
Meier has noticed that older people, in particular, are drawn to walking backwards as an easy way to add to their fitness routine. If you look at a gym that has tons of treadmills, you’ll see at least one or two people walking backwards at any given time, Meier says. There are also older people walking backwards on the floor, and you can tell that someone has said to them, Hey, you should try doing that because it’s great for your balance and coordination, just don’t trip over anything. He notes that many pickleball players have taken up the practice — it can help strengthen their knees and ensure they don’t take a (metaphorical) step backwards on the courts.
You will train different muscles
Walking backward requires you to stand up straighter than when you walk forward, Meier says. By reversing the step, you will create a new challenge for the muscles of the abdomen, lower limbs and back. You might notice that your glute muscles, your buttock muscles do more work, says Meier. (Authors’ note: You’ll definitely notice.) Meanwhile, your calf muscles will have to work the opposite way they normally do. When you walk forward, your calf contracts concentrically, which means the muscle gets shorter, he explains. When you go upside down, your calf muscle contracts in reverse and lengthens as it supports your body weight. This change can be a valuable way to improve your fitness.
You’ll also target the quad muscles at the front of your thighs. According to one study, yes, scientists have studied that people who walked backwards three times a week for six weeks ended up with improved quadriceps muscle strength, compared to those who walked forwards for exercise. The quads are responsible for knee extension and leg extension, Meier explains, and they also work differently when you walk backwards. That’s one reason people say it helps improve their knee pain, he says. You’re basically strengthening your quads by doing this backwards walking trick.
It can be good for people with injuries
When New York Peloton Tread instructor Marcel Dinkins had kneecap problems, he started walking backwards. He recently returned after tearing his ACL. You can push forward, he says, describing the movement required to launch into walking backwards. When you have running or knee problems, you usually have some pain just below the kneecap. Running backwards gives you some respite and relief.
Read more: Why hiking is the perfect workout for mind and body
Retro walking has a long history of use in a clinical or rehabilitative sense, says Janet Dufek, a biomechanist and professor at the School of Integrative Health Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has researched retro walking. . One study, for example, found that after a six-week retro walking program, participants with knee osteoarthritis experienced a greater reduction in pain and functional disability compared to those who walked in the typical fashion. Another found that walking backwards on a steep incline relieved symptoms of plantar fasciitis. And in a study led by Dufek, walking backwards reduced lower back pain and improved function among athletes.
Retro walking is also used in occupational therapy. Seniors can practice walking to a kitchen sink, for example, and then walking back away from it. The ability to move backwards can improve practical activities of daily living, Dufek says.
It could make you more flexible
Many of us sit all day, which leads to tight, tight muscles. Our hip flexors, or the muscles in the front of the thigh and front of the hip, get tighter, says Kristyn Holc, a physical therapist at Atlantic Sports Health Physical Therapy in Morristown, NJ. When we walk backwards, they stretch this tissue which leads to greater flexibility, which is related to better physical performance, increased muscle blood flow and a reduced risk of injury. You’ll notice that a lot of people, especially as they get older, bend a little at the hips, he says. That’s because your hip flexors are tight. So if we can stretch them, it will help us achieve that upright posture.
Your gait and balance may improve
Elizabeth Stroot, a physical therapist with Core Wellness & Physical Therapy in Alexandria, Va., uses retro gait to help people normalize their gait pattern, or the way they walk. It’s a way to take advantage of our neuromuscular programming and get people to work with some lameness or range of motion restriction, he says. Walking back just 20 to 30 feet at a time is enough to help some patients, he adds.
Read more: Your brain doesn’t want you to exercise
It can also improve balance control, especially among older adults, who are at greater risk of falls. That’s because we maintain our balance through three major systems, says Holc: our eyes, our muscles and joints, and the vestibular system, or inner ear. When we walk backwards, we can’t see what’s behind us, which means we have to rely on the other two systems, enhancing their ability to keep us upright. You need to feel where you are in space, and that information is being sent to the brain, he says.
But you have to do it safely
Many people experiment with retro walking on their treadmill, which is free of hazards such as rocks, uneven terrain, and other people. You don’t even have to turn it on, Dinkins points out—just climb into the machine backwards, grab the handrails, and use your own power to move the belt. If you’re pushing it, you’ll get more resistance, which he says leads to a better workout. If you do decide to turn on the treadmill, start at a low speed and keep the safety key engaged at all times, advises Dinkins.
No treadmill? No problem – choose a safe place indoors or outdoors, such as a corridor, walking track or empty field. Dufek encourages people to partner up: Two people face each other and hold hands, and one of them walks back while the others walk forward, he says. This person can be the other person’s eyes, so it’s very safe, and then you just switch places.
No matter where you start walking backwards, keep in mind that you won’t be going backwards as fast as you are going forwards. There’s a learning curve, Dufek stresses: If you can walk 4 miles an hour forward, don’t expect to be able to walk that fast backwards, he says. At least in the beginning, if you can walk 1 mile an hour backwards, you’re in a good place. As with any new exercise, take it slow. You can walk backwards for 5 to 10 minutes three times a week, and after a few weeks, add another 5 minutes to each session, Dufek suggests. As your body neurologically learns the movement pattern, you’ll be able to walk faster, he says. And of course, walking faster burns more calories, and then you can go out in public and laugh even more. It is fun. How’s that for progress?
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Image Source : time.com