Knee discomfort & pains
If you feel knee discomfort or you’re recovering from a knee injury or regular running puts too much pressure on your knee joint then try walking or running backwards. Studies have proven that quad muscle building is more effective in reverse walking and running compared to regular forward movement. The quad muscle is the main muscle to support your knees and its function is crucial. Walking backward puts minimal pressure on your knee while growing your quads. Check out the science behind it and discover the many health benefits you can reap by occassionally walking backward.
Walking backwards: The Science
The Mechanics of Backward Walking
At first glance, backward walking may seem awkward or counterintuitive. After all, it’s not something we do regularly in daily life. However, the basic mechanics of backward versus forward walking are quite different in ways that can positively stress the body’s muscles and systems.
During forward walking, the ankles exhibit minimal movement – you’re mostly flexing at the knees and hips to propel yourself forward. This places more impact stress on the knee and ankle joints with each step. In contrast, backward walking causes the metatarsal joints (ball of the foot) to strike the ground first, dramatically reducing the impact forces on the knees, hips and spine.
The muscle activation patterns also differ. Backward walking emphasizes use of the quadriceps (front of thighs) and hip extensors to a greater degree than forward walking. These muscle groups don’t get as heavily worked during most daily activities, so backward walking can help strengthen areas often overlooked. Additionally, the stance phase (when your foot is planted) comprises a larger percentage of the backward walking cycle compared to forward walking. This increased stance time promotes improved dynamic stability as you carefully control your movement.
Overall, backward walking changes the loading patterns and muscle activation in a way that strengthens different groups while reducing excessive joint stresses. It forces your body to move in patterns it isn’t accustomed to, which can enhance physical conditioning.
Benefits for Balance and Gait
One of the most promising aspects of backward walking is its ability to improve balance and gait (manner of walking/movement). Several studies have directly compared the effects of backward versus forward walking interventions on measures of static/dynamic balance and spatiotemporal gait parameters like step length, velocity, cadence, etc.
In the study highlighted here, researchers had one group of healthy adults walk backwards on an inclined treadmill for 20 minutes per day, 5 days per week for 4 weeks. A second group performed the same protocol but walking forward instead of backward. Before and after the 4-week training, they evaluated changes in balance using force plates and gait characteristics using a portable gait analysis system.
The results demonstrated significantly greater improvements in medial-lateral balance, anterior-posterior balance, step length and gait velocity in the backward walking group compared to the forward walking group. In particular, the backward walkers saw an approximately 9% increase in step length and an 11% increase in gait velocity – substantial gains in key gait parameters associated with mobility and fall risk.
The researchers concluded that the backward walking intervention had more positive therapeutic effects on balance and gait compared to forward walking in healthy adults. They hypothesized that the increased stance time and need for more careful, controlled movements contributed to enhancing dynamic balance and gait patterning.
Backward Walking Benefits
- Greater Muscle Activation: As mentioned, backward walking preferentially works the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles more than forward walking. This increased muscle engagement helps promote lower body strength and muscle tone.
- Increased Energy Expenditure: Simply put, backward walking burns more calories than forward walking at the same speed and incline. The unfamiliar movement pattern creates greater demands on the muscles, increasing energy/calorie burn during the activity. This makes backward walking a viable option for weight loss or general fitness conditioning.
- Reduced Lower Body Joint Stresses: The lower impact forces experienced during backward walking reduce compression forces on the knees and ankles. This makes it an appealing option for those dealing with conditions like arthritis, recent injuries, or wanting to minimize excessive joint loading.
- Improved Cardiovascular Function: Like any exercise that increases energy demands, backward walking prompts the heart and lungs to work harder to deliver oxygenated blood. Over time, this can yield improvements in overall cardiovascular conditioning and endurance capacity.
- Bone Density Benefits: The forces imparted on the bones during backward walking may help stimulate increases in bone mineral density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis/osteopenia. The recReversal of loading directions applies unusual stresses that bones adapt positively to over time.
- Grow Brain Cells: When you first walk backward, you get these occasional brain malfunctioning moments lol, which is cool because it creates nice brain activity. Challenging your mind to do something you are not used to requires stimulating and rewiring your brain on a small scale. New neuro connections are made from this small learning process.
- Stand Strong: Walking backward improves your stance and footing because of the increased foot, ankle, and calf muscle strength. The newfound exceptional balance also contributes to a stronger and more grounded stance.
- Prevent Ankle Injuries: Injuries usually happen when we expose our bodies to awkward or unusual movements. By pre-exposing your ankles to this unfamiliar motion, you are making your ankles less prone to injury in the future.
- Increase Flexibility: Want more mobility and flexibility in your legs? Walking backward will do just that, stretching your ankle, calf muscles hamstrings, and sole, all the way to the tip of your big toe. I have especially noticed that walking backward downhill, you get a super deep stretch in all those muscles and a nice knee discomfort relief.
- Natural Back Pain Relief: Walking backward strengthens your core and lower back muscles which helps balance and stabilize your spine. Unwinding by walking backward loosens up the spine, relaxing itself from the perpetual forward motion.
Daniel Florian
