Walking backwards outside or on a treadmill may seem funny, but it can improve one’s physical or neurological health.
“People today sit too much, plus they lack variety of movement,” said Grayson Wickham, a physical therapist at Luke Physical Therapy and Functional Medicine in New York.
According to a March 2021 study, people who retro walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes for four weeks increased their balance, walking pace and cardiopulmonary fitness.
Studies also show that retro walking can sharpen people’s minds and help those with knee osteoarthritis and chronic back pain.
Studies have shown that walking backwards or retro walking can be good for your health
Retro walking can be done outside or on a treadmill. Grayson Wickham says it’s better to use a self-propelled treadmill instead of a motorized machine
Landry Estes, a certified strength and conditioning specialist in College Station, Texas, explained to CNN Health that ‘driving yourself forward’ is known as a ‘hamstring-dominant movement.’
“If you’re walking backwards, it’s a role reversal, where your quads are firing and you’re doing knee extensions,” he said.
A hamstring-dominant movement is when someone uses their hamstrings before their glutes, and in some cases it can cause people’s glutes to weaken.
Wickham even said that adapting the body to ‘positions and movements and positions’ can cause the joints to compensate, which can lead to ‘wear and tear on the joints, then pain and injuries.’
“The more we can add variety of movement into our daily activities or at the gym, the more beneficial it is for the body,” Wickham said.
It is important to be careful when using the hamstring-dominant movements required in retro walking
Retro walking is already common for people who do physical therapy or want to improve sports performance.
It’s also easy to add to your daily exercise routine.
Wickham suggested that the best way to add retro walking to your routine is to take it slow and not rush it.
Walking backwards for five minutes a few times a week or taking five 20-minute walks backwards is a good way to start a regular retro walk.
However, Wickham noted that younger people who exercise regularly “can probably walk backwards” as far as they want.
“It’s relatively safe, in and of itself,” he added.
One exercise Estes likes for people who prefer to walk outside is walking backwards while pulling a sled.
Wickham said the retro walk outside is also convenient for people, especially because if someone falls outside, “it’s less dangerous.”
People who enjoy exercising indoors should use a treadmill, preferably one that is self-propelled.
According to Wickham, a self-propelled treadmill is better than a motorized one because it is “more beneficial” for the exerciser to be self-propelled.
One exercise Estes likes for people who prefer to walk outside is walking backwards while pulling a sled.
People who start a retro walk outside should choose a place without danger or walk with a friend who can be their eyes
People who start the retro walk outside should choose a place without danger, while walking with an upright chest and rolling from toe to toe.
Another way to start is to walk with a friend who moves forward, not backward.
People walking with friends can switch directions with their partner every few minutes so that they can both successfully walk backwards.
“It’s so great to have different movements,” Wickham said. ‘And one of them is doing things backwards.’
Exercisers who opt for a treadmill should be careful, however, especially if the machine is motorized rather than self-propelled.
Holding onto the handrails and walking backwards slowly will help the person get started safely.
Once they improve and get used to the treadmill, they can walk faster, let go of the handholds, and maybe even increase the incline.
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