NewsBytes
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Health & Wellness
    Beauty
    Travel And Tourism
    Food
    Fitness and Health
    NewsBytes
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    NewsBytes
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout


    India Business World Politics Sports Technology Entertainment Auto Lifestyle Inspirational Career Bengaluru Delhi Mumbai Visual Stories Find Cricket Statistics Phones Reviews Fitness Bands Reviews Speakers Reviews

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
     
    Home / News / Lifestyle News / What is retro walking? 5 unexpected health benefits
    Lifestyle

    What is retro walking? 5 unexpected health benefits

    What is retro walking? 5 unexpected health benefits
    Written by Rishabh Raj
    Expert opinion by Dr Akanksha Saxena
    Dec 03, 2022, 05:30 am 3 min read
    What is retro walking? 5 unexpected health benefits
    Reverse walking improves balance and proprioception

    Bored with your usual morning walk? Try retro-walking. Retro-walking is simply walking by putting one foot behind the other, or in simpler words, walking backward. From a third person's view, you may appear eccentric while doing so, but there are far too many benefits than worrying about what others would think. Check out the many ways retro-walking can benefit you.

    Here's what our expert says

    • Walking backward helps improve proprioception i.e. joint and muscle awareness along with spinal reflexes.
    • It is a complex mechanism by which the brain stays aware of the position of different body parts without actually looking at them individually and it plays a very important role in maintaining balance.
    • Caution is advised in hip/knee transplantees and those with balance-related disorders.

    Improves coordination

    Reverse walking requires you to go against your usual motion, which means you will require better coordination of your body. Your mind stays focused on guiding you better since you lack any visual inputs and only rely on your body awareness. This improves your mind-body coordination and helps you have a better sense of your limb and body positioning.

    Puts less strain on your knees

    For patients who have osteoarthritis in their knees, backward locomotion can be beneficial for reducing pain and improving leg strength. Studies have also found that reverse walking or backward running reduces anterior knee pain. When you walk backward, your quadriceps' activity is reduced and as a result, the knee joint takes less compressive force. Therefore, the intensity of pain in the knee is reduced.

    Burns more calories

    Yes, walking backward can burn 40% more calories per minute than walking forward. If you want to lose weight, then definitely consider it. The Compendium of Physical Activities notes that a brisk normal walk at 3.5 mph is about 4.3 METs (metabolic equivalents) while walking backward at the same speed is 6.0 METs. The higher the METs, the higher your caloric expenditure.

    Improve cardiorespiratory fitness

    Moving in reverse gets your heart pumping faster than moving forwards. So, that means you get a cardio fix, a metabolism boost, and burn more calories in a shorter period. A combination of backward walking or running can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and change body composition. This study validates that backward walking causes significant changes in body composition in young women.

    Strengthens your legs

    This is one of the most effective natural ways to strengthen your less-active leg muscles. When you walk backward, it flexes out your hamstrings as opposed to your quadriceps and strengthens muscles that usually take a backseat while walking forwards. Your shin muscle also comes to function as opposed to calf muscles, which tend to do all the work when you walk forward.

    Share this timeline
    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Latest
    Health & Wellness

    Latest

    'Pathaan' review: Shah Rukh Khan- 'bas naam hi kaafi hai' Movie Review
    2002 Gujarat riots: 22 accused of killing 17 Muslims acquitted Gujarat
    'All That Breathes,' 'Elephant Whisperers': Know everything about Oscar-nominated documentaries   Academy Awards
    Rocket Lab successfully launches Electron rocket from US soil USA

    Health & Wellness

    Stye (sty): Meaning, causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention Lifestyle
    What is forest bathing and why should try it Lifestyle
    Oil pulling: Method, benefits, and the science behind it Lifestyle
    5 recipes to try on Basant Panchami Food

    Love Lifestyle News?

    Subscribe to stay updated.

    Lifestyle Thumbnail
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2023