Walking backwards on treadmill benefits

Treadmills are very popular right now. Whether you're looking for a hot walk, a 12/3/30 workout, or an 18-minute treadmill challenge, this piece of fitness equipment will make you work up a sweat. Short walks on the treadmill have even become a popular way to relieve knee pain. Instead of walking forward or uphill, walk backward.
Walking backwards on the treadmill (also known as walking in reverse) is a method recommended by physical therapists to relieve knee pain, says Kris Ceniza, physical therapist, trainer and manager of KneeForce. Whether the pain is caused by an overuse injury, a muscle imbalance, or tendonitis, walking in reverse can be very helpful.
According to Ceniza, when you walk backwards, you work the same muscle groups as when you walk normally; the only thing that changes is what he calls synergy. “Walking usually works your entire lower body, and so does walking backwards,” he explains. “The difference is that when you walk forward, your quadriceps and hip flexors contract centripetally to swing your leg forward, while your glutes and hamstrings contract centrifugally to control the force of your leg's forward motion.”
This combination helps you propel yourself forward as you walk. The problem is that for many people, especially if you have tight hamstrings due to a sedentary lifestyle, the muscles may be askew, which can put undue stress on your knees. With that in mind, here's what experts say rolling backward can do to your all-important knee joints.

Advantages of walking backwards

You can see walking backwards as a great way to rest your knees and a simple way to enhance leg strength in a whole new way. The idea is that when you walk backwards on a treadmill, you will reverse the effects of all the muscle groups mentioned above. The hamstring and gluteus maximus will act as quadriceps and hip flexors, and vice versa.
Ceniza said that this simple transformation can help you create more leg balance and improve the body's "poor biomechanics" that causes knee pain. In fact, a study conducted in 2019 on a 6-week upside down walking program found that it can effectively alleviate knee pain and overall function. It also helps to improve the strength and performance of the quadriceps muscle.
If you have joint pain, you may want to try walking backwards. Ceniza said that almost anyone can benefit from it because it can repair muscle imbalances, enhance quadriceps, and promote coordination. I would recommend it to almost everyone, including those without knee pain, "he said.

How to walk backwards on a treadmill

To try this kind of walking, please slow down the treadmill and grab onto the handrail. At the beginning, don't worry about swinging your arms; focus on your steps, "Ceniza said. When you feel comfortable with the rhythm of your lower body, continue to move your hands away from the track and do something that feels natural. Relax, you should start instinctively swinging, especially when you accelerate your pace. When you get used to it, you can increase your speed or add a little slope to tackle the challenge.
You can walk backwards a few times a week or even a day. It doesn't have to be long or intense, "Ceniza said. At least, I would say that walking backwards on a treadmill for 10 to 15 minutes will bring you some benefits, but you can walk longer depending on your health level. However, for safety reasons, remember to stop before you get tired and walk as fast as possible

Self-powered treadmill

To maximize the effect of reverse walking, it is recommended to perform 10-15 minutes of reverse walking training every day, three to four times a week.
Because we exercise every day to move forward effortlessly, when we suddenly have to move backward, it is a challenge for both our body and mind, and they have to break the norm and make corresponding adjustments.

Walking backwards: Advanced Edition

When you have trained to perfection and are no longer a novice walking backwards, you can try running backwards, hehe~
Cardiff University School of Medicine in the UK conducted a study on the benefits of running backwards: it can alleviate pain in the front knee. A study from Nansterenburg University shows that combining forward and reverse running can improve circulatory and respiratory health.

Commercial fitness treadmill

Specific methods:

Before starting the reverse training, please ensure that you have mastered the technique of walking backwards proficiently. It's best to start running backwards on the treadmill, as you can grab onto the handrail of the treadmill. At the beginning, walk slowly and pay attention to the smoothness of your steps.
When you can walk faster and faster, try running again. As mentioned above, this training method is a good choice, especially for those with knee pain, as the pressure on the knee is relatively low.
Attention~~
Focus on every step of walking/running, as your brain must initially learn and adapt to new movements. safety first!

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