While it may seem kind of silly, did you know that walking backwards- or reverse walking- actually has many health benefits? Walking is a great form of activity that offers low-impact, steady-state cardiovascular exercise. Walking backwards, however, challenges your body in ways that forward walking does not.

When you walk, your feet touch the ground in a heelto- toe pattern. When you walk backwards, your toes hit the ground before the heal does, and this changes how the muscles in your legs and hips function. Additionally, studies have shown that walking backwards engages the quadriceps muscle (the front of your thigh) more than walking forwards, and this can help strengthen the legs even more.

Furthermore, reverse walking also helps to improve your balance, increase flexibility and range of motion, and may help to limit knee pain. Walking backwards also burns more calories and challenges your brain more than forward walking does!

Of course, walking backwards can bring up a few safety concerns. For starters, make sure there are no obstacles that may cause you to trip and fall. Secondly, make sure you have a clear route or path to follow so that you do not get injured since you will not be able to see that path as clearly as when walking forward. You may also notice a change in your balance compared with forward walking. For these reasons, a great option for walking backwards is on a treadmill. As with any exercise, use caution when getting in position for this activity. We recommend setting the treadmill to the slowest speed and increasing it slowly as your body adjusts to the movement. You can also try walking backwards in a large open space, like a gymnasium, that is free from obstacles or other people, or using a wall for balance and to guide you along. If you do not feel safe doing this exercise or are at risk of falling due to physical or medical conditions, we recommend getting assistance to prevent injury.