“A hundred steps backwards are worth a thousand steps forward.”
An old Chinese adage
Retro-walking is one of the exercises of Qigong that stimulates the flow of vital energy or “qi” through the body. Qigong, in turn, is an ancient Chinese practice dating back 5000 years old, which includes various exercises and meditative movements, as well as spiritual practices aimed at unifying the body, breath and mind (Klein et al., 2017).
Therapeutic benefits of Retro-walking
Besides stimulating the vital energy flow, retro-walking is also commonly used in adjuvant therapy and rehabilitation training. There is strong evidence that it benefits the knee joint by increasing its functional capability and reducing pain. This practice also strengthens the lower limbs and improves balance (Goonasegaran et al., 2022). Scientists believe that retro-walking is a perfect method for people with knee osteoarthritis and gait impairments (Balasukumaran et al., 2019; Yang et al., 2005).
Below, we will discuss the therapeutic effects of retro-walking in more detail and show you how to incorporate it into your yoga practice.
Retro-walking strengthens leg muscles
Retro-walking is an effective exercise for strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities, particularly the quadriceps. Studies show that just 10 minutes of retro-walking thrice a week for six weeks will significantly improve quadriceps functional capacity and strength in patients with knee osteoarthritis (Alghadir et al., 2019). This statement also applies to backward running, which is more effective in strengthening lower limb muscles than forward running in healthy individuals (Uthoff et al., 2018).
Retro-walking alleviates knee-joint pain
Retro-walking has been shown to significantly reduce knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. In addition, retro-walking improves knee function and physical performance. These effects are explained by the reverse action of the knee joint and surrounding muscles, which act as shock absorbers and reduce the compressive force on the knee and prevent abnormal loading on the knee joint (Alghadir et al., 2019).
Retro-walking improves gait
According to the research, retro-walking in combination with a training programme significantly improves the gait, particularly walking speed, asymmetric gait pattern, and stride length among patients with hemiparetic stroke (Yang et al., 2005). These therapeutic effects may result from improved neuromotor control and muscle strength. (Balasukumaran et al., 2018).
Retro-walking improves balance
Improved balance and walking ability are other therapeutic benefits of retro-walking that can be achieved in as little as three weeks on the treadmill. This effect was observed in patients with chronic and sub-acute stroke and was attributed to improved gait and motor proprioception (Chang et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2019). During retro-walking, a person relies mainly on senses other than visual, such as vestibular and neuromuscular proprioceptive, which give them better motor control and postural stability, thereby improving balance (Wang et al., 2019).
Retro-walking alleviates back pain
Retro-walking, especially backwards water gait, has been shown to significantly improve chronic back pain. Retro-walking leads to higher back and lower limb muscle activity (Rezai et al., 2020). A recent clinical study found that four weeks of retro-walking reduced low back pain by reducing the lumbar angle and increasing muscle strength. (Zakhid., 2022).
Retro-walking improves cardiovascular function
Another positive effect of retro-walking is that it significantly increases the cardiorespiratory response (increase in heart rate and oxygen consumption) and improves cardiovascular health (Hooper et al., 2004).
Applying this research and wisdom to a Yoga Therapy setting
There are several things that yoga practitioners can incorporate into their daily routine to benefit from the practice of retro-walking, for example:
- Running fast up and down your mat with ladder side steps (HIIT yoga)
- Being mindful of all your step backs in lunges and remind yourself that this retro-movement is helpful for your knees and lower back
- Using a chair – step backwards and up and onto the Chair to improve your brain and cardiovascular health
- See how we perform a variation of Chair pose on a yoga chair by stepping up backwards:
- If you have some space at home, can you walk backwards in a downward dog around the room?
- Walk backwards from the forward fold (Uttanasana) into the downward dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) repetitively in a classroom setting and remind yourself or your students why you are doing it! (For relief from lower back pain, knee pain, improved cardiovascular function, improving the strength of the lower limb, improving your gait, building Qi!)
- Inversion step backs with back bends (really applying retro walking therapy to the extreme 🙂
Conclusion
Retro walking is an ancient practice whose therapeutic effects have been widely investigated in recent decades. Its impact on physical health is promising and suggestive for further research and application. Most importantly, this simple and, at the same time, effective practice is easy to introduce into the daily routine of people, regardless of age and physical fitness.
References
Klein P, Picard G, Baumgarden J, Schneider R. Meditative Movement, Energetic, and Physical Analyses of Three Qigong Exercises: Unification of Eastern and Western Mechanistic Exercise Theory. Medicines (Basel). 2017 Sep 23;4(4):69. doi: 10.3390/medicines4040069. PMID: 28946612; PMCID: PMC5750593.
Goonasegaran AR, Suhaimi A, Mokhtar AH. A randomized control trial on retro-walking improves symptoms, pain, and function in primary knee osteoarthritis. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2022 Feb;62(2):229-237. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.20.11686-4. Epub 2020 Dec 14. PMID: 33314883.
Balasukumaran T, Olivier B, Ntsiea MV. The effectiveness of backward walking as a treatment for people with gait impairments: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Rehabil. 2019 Feb;33(2):171-182. doi: 10.1177/0269215518801430. Epub 2018 Sep 19. PMID: 30229667.
Yang YR, Yen JG, Wang RY, Yen LL, Lieu FK. Gait outcomes after additional backward walking training in patients with stroke: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2005 May;19(3):264-73. doi: 10.1191/0269215505cr860oa. PMID: 15859527.
Wang, J., Xu, J., & An, R. (2019). Effectiveness of backward walking training on balance performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Gait & Posture, 68, 466–475.doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.01.002
Uthoff A, Oliver J, Cronin J, Harrison C, Winwood P. A new direction to athletic performance: understanding the acute and longitudinal responses to backward running. Sports Med. 2018;48(5):1083–1096. doi: 10.1007/s40279-018-0877-5
Yang, Y.-R., Yen, J.-G., Wang, R.-Y., Yen, L.-L., & Lieu, F.-K. (2005). Gait outcomes after additional backward walking training in patients with stroke: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 19(3), 264–273.doi:10.1191/0269215505cr860oa
Alghadir, A.H., Anwer, S., Sarkar, B. et al. Effect of 6-week retro or forward walking program on pain, functional disability, quadriceps muscle strength, and performance in individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial (retro-walking trial).BMC Musculoskelet Disord 20, 159 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2537-9
Chang KW, Lin CM, Yen CW, Yang CC, Tanaka T, Guo LY. The Effect of Walking Backward on a Treadmill on Balance, Speed of Walking and Cardiopulmonary Fitness for Patients with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 1;18(5):2376. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052376. PMID: 33804374; PMCID: PMC7967772.
Rezai V, Mahdavi-Nejad R, Zolaktaf V. Comparing the Effects of Different Types of Aquatic Walking on Endurance and Electrical Activities of Spine Extensor Muscles in Men with Nonspecific Chronic Back Pain. Int J Prev Med. 2020 Oct 5;11:168. doi: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_403_19. PMID: 33312477; PMCID: PMC7716608.
Zahid, S. (2022). Effects of Retro Walking on Pain, Physical Function and Flexibility in Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain. Clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved 4 September 2022, from https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05044702.
Hooper TL, Dunn DM, Props JE, Bruce BA, Sawyer SF, Daniel JA. The effects of graded forward and backward walking on heart rate and oxygen consumption. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2004 Feb;34(2):65-71. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2004.34.2.65.
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