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The Surprising Benefits of Walking Backwards





Have you ever noticed that your lower back feels more sore after a long walk than after a run? You're not alone! Running activates the big muscle groups in your hips and legs more than walking. If you're like me, you might be happy using those big muscles, but when it comes to walking, particularly slowly, you feel you need to bend forwards from time to time or stop completely because it is painful. But there's a solution that can improve your walking experience: walking backwards.

Why Walk Backwards?

I first discovered the benefits of walking backwards during a Feldenkrais lesson. Interestingly, this concept isn't new in the ancient practice of Tai Chi. In fact, backwards walking has been a staple in Chinese exercise routines for centuries. With growing research supporting its benefits, it's about time this practice became more common in the Western world. Here’s why you should consider adding backwards walking to your routine:

  1. Improves Balance and Coordination: Walking backwards is an unfamiliar activity that can help enhance your balance, coordination, and stability. It can also sharpen your senses and improve body awareness.

  2. Enhances Functional Mobility: A study showed that walking backwards helped improve functional mobility in people with Multiple Sclerosis, a condition that affects the brain and nerves.

  3. Burns More Calories: Walking backwards requires more effort, increasing caloric expenditure by 40% compared to walking forwards. It can also increase muscle strength and is used as a ski and tennis exercise on treadmills or cross trainers.

  4. Strengthens Back Muscles: Backwards walking leads to greater activation of the paraspinal muscles, the deeper back stabilizing muscles essential for walking. This benefit was observed in a study of both healthy individuals and those with chronic lower back pain.

  5. Reduces Knee Pain: For those with knee pain, walking backwards can be an effective exercise without putting extra stress on the knees. The load is more on the hamstrings at a low range of motion, similar to cycling on low resistance.

How to Walk Backwards

Incorporating backwards walking into your routine can be simple and effective. Here’s how you can get started:

  • Find a Safe Space: Make sure you have a clear, obstacle-free area to avoid bumping into anything.

  • Maintain Good Posture: Walk backwards in a straight line with your eyes focused on one spot, as if balancing a glass of water on your head. Land on your toes and roll through your whole foot slowly.

  • Observe Your Movements: Notice where the weight is on each foot as you land. Pay attention to whether your body turns while your head faces forward. If you don’t feel the rotation, exaggerate the movement of your body and shoulders while keeping your knees facing forward.

  • Challenge Yourself: Try keeping your heels just off the ground the entire time. Then walk forwards and see if you can maintain that feeling of rotation, allowing your lower back to move with your hips and the rest of your spine.

Conclusion

Incorporating backwards walking into your exercise routine can have numerous benefits, from improving balance and coordination to strengthening your back muscles and reducing knee pain. I look forward to seeing more people walking backwards in the park and giving them a knowing nod. If Chinese and Asian cultures can practice Tai Chi in the park, why not embrace the benefits of walking backwards in the park as well?



References:

Soke F, Aydin F, Karakoc S, Gulsen C, Yasa ME, Ersoy N, Gulsen EO, Yucesan C. Effects of backward walking training on balance, gait, and functional mobility in people with multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled study. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023 Nov;79:104961. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104961. Epub 2023 Sep 2. PMID: 37683559.

Ansari B, Bhati P, Singla D, Nazish N, Hussain ME. Lumbar Muscle Activation Pattern During Forward and Backward Walking in Participants With and Without Chronic Low Back Pain: An Electromyographic Study. J Chiropr Med. 2018 Dec;17(4):217-225. doi: 10.1016/j.jcm.2018.03.008. Epub 2019 Jan 20. PMID: 30846913; PMCID: PMC6391229.

Almutairi SM, Almutairi MK, Alotaibi MM, Alshehri M, Alenazi AM. Effects of backward walking exercise using lower body positive pressure treadmill on knee symptoms and physical function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a protocol for RCT. J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Apr 1;18(1):264. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-03711-x. PMID: 37005596; PMCID: PMC10067190.


Photo by Fanny Gustafsson on Unsplash

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