Experts on Benefits and How To Do It Safely

Walking has increasingly been lauded as an easy, ultra-beneficial health practice, thanks to a trove of research connecting it to better heart health, stress relief and stronger muscles and bones.

But even the best exercise routines can start to feel repetitive or boring after a while, so it’s always wise to think about how to change them up.

Our suggestion? Change directions. Experts say that walking backwards, also called retro walking, can impart some major benefits. A common conditioning exercise for athletes, walking backwards can be a fun way to switch up your fitness routine and work some different muscle groups.

Biomechanist Janet Dufek, a professor at the School of Integrated Health Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has incorporated backwards running into her fitness routine for the past decade.

A former college athlete and avid runner, Dufek has studied the mechanics of walking and running for years and says that walking backwards can be beneficial to engage underused muscles and increase hamstring flexibility, which can help prevent injuries from other activities.

Here’s what to know about walking backwards, its benefits and how to do it safely.

Benefits of Walking Backwards for Midlife Women

The main benefit of walking backwards is working different muscle groups and forcing the body into a new movement pattern.

“I’m a strong advocate of cross-training, and I see this as a form of cross-training because you use muscles differently,” says Dufek. “You move differently, it changes things up, and it keeps things a little more exciting.”

Compared to walking forwards, which Dufek says activates the calves and glutes to propel you forward, walking backwards primarily engages the quadriceps, the large muscles atop the thigh.

“When you walk forward, you do use your quadriceps, but they lengthen to absorb impact,” she explains. “When you walk backward, they shorten, and that’s what provides power for you to move faster.” Walking backwards also allows movement while relieving pressure on the knee joints, which she said can be beneficial for people with knee pain. Some research shows it can be helpful for balance, too.

According to Dr. Steven Svoboda, a board-certified orthopedic sports medicine specialist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center, as well as a team physician for the Washington Capitals, walking backwards can be a helpful way to switch up a walking routine, as long as it’s done safely.

“My prevailing thing is ‘use it or lose it,’ or ‘motion is lotion,’” he says.

Walking backwards also activates the central nervous system and peripheral nerves.

“The more you prepare your body for different scenarios, the more resilient your body is,” says Svoboda. “Things that disrupt your equilibrium, if you train it right, ultimately help improve your performance because your body can handle things that aren’t done as you predicted they would go.”

How To Trying Walking Backwards (Safely)

Pick an Even, Quiet Spot

Start by walking slowly on a flat surface. Aim for an area clear of obstructions you could trip over. Svoboda recommends a flat track, such as one you’d find at a college or high school.

“Pick the environment where it’s going to be conducive to learning,” he says.

Avoid crowded areas. Be sure you have good quality walking shoes that fit you properly, too.

You can also try this on a treadmill, but Svoboda cautions that it’s key to use a high quality, good-functioning one. Start at a slow speed and without an incline. Hold the rails to maintain your balance and make sure you can reach the auto shutoff button or strap easily.

This is also a good activity to try with a buddy, says Dufek. Walking backwards with a partner is a good idea both for safety and motivation.

“One of you walks forward while the other one walks backward, and the one that’s walking forward is the eyes for one that’s walking backwards, then you switch,” she says.

If you walk on a treadmill, she recommends putting one person in charge of monitoring the speed so the other can focus on walking.

Start Slowly

If this sounds like something you want to try, Svoboda and Dufek emphasize that it’s key to start slow.

If you’re already in a consistent walking routine, “try just flipping it around for a little bit in the middle of your walk, just turn around and walk backwards for 30 seconds and go back and walk forward,” explains Dufek.

You might try one minute of walking backwards, then increase the time and distance as you get more comfortable.

“In any training, you don’t really want to increase your load more than 10% any week, so if you’re walking for 10 minutes on week one, you probably don’t want to start walking 20 minutes in week two; you probably want to just increase a minute or two,” she says.

Like any exercise, Svoboda recommends discussing whether you should try walking backwards with your primary care doctor, especially if you have any flexibility, balance or mobility issues. He also says it’s not a bad idea to run this by a physical therapist or trainer, as well.

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t go very fast at first.

“The increase in speed will come as you learn the motor pattern, because you really are learning a new skill,” says Dufek.