Walk it Back - 30 Days of Wellness

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday! Let's make it a great day!

Let's get moving today and remember to not just walk forward but focus on going backward for at least five minutes each day! Check out all of the benefits below.

Benefits of walking backwards (retro walking) are pretty amazing, especially for us women over 50. And if you have knee pain, then this is an easy way to strengthen and heal your knees! Trust me the first time someone suggested this to me a few years ago, I laughed and thought to myself - is this just another one of those guru gimmicks? The answer to that is going to cause you to get up and walk it back!

Researchers say that the forward thrust or power during regular walking comes from your ankle. The power during backward walking comes from your hips and knees. This switch-up offers many benefits.

Muscle strength: Walking backwards strengthens the muscles in your back, glutes, hamstrings, and shins. It can also improve the strength and flexibility of your ankles. When you walk, your gait or walking pattern is heel-to-toe. So with each step, your heel hits the ground first, followed by your toes. With backward walking, it's the opposite. Your toes hit the ground before your heel. This changes how the muscles work in your hips and legs.

Walking backward has been shown to make your legs work harder than walking forward. For example, as you walk backward, you engage the quadriceps at the front of your thigh to straighten your legs and propel you back. This can help you build lower-body muscle strength. Studies have shown that walking backward enhances quadriceps strength better than forward walking.

Balance and coordination: Walking backward can improve gait, walking speed, and balance, especially after an injury or illness. One review found that when combined with other physical therapy treatments, retro walking improved gait and muscle strength in people with knee osteoarthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and ACL injuries.

Another study examined a backward walking training program in people who had a stroke. It improved balance and walking speed better than standing balance training. 

A more recent study had similar findings. People recovering from a stroke walked backward on a treadmill for 30 minutes, three times a week. They had better balance, walking speed, and cardiorespiratory fitness in 4 weeks.

Cognitive function: Walking backwards can boost your cognitive function and memory. Every time you learn a new skill and put it into practice, the brain is creating new pathways and keeping your brain sharp. For most of us walking is an automatic process that doesn't require much thought. But reverse walking challenges you to pay more attention and consciously think about how you move. This can help body awareness as you move. And the more aware we are to our body, the less likely we are to fall.

A study in Cognition found that people who walked backward — or even thought about it — had better short-term memory of past events.

Eases and Stops Knee Pain: Experts say that walking in reverse puts less pressure on the knee joint and kneecaps. It also strengthens the quads, which help support the knee. This may ease knee pain from illnesses or injuries like knee osteoarthritis and runner's knee. That explains why walking backward on a treadmill is one of many techniques that physical therapists use in rehabilitation programs.

The change in walking direction also engages low back muscles that stabilize your spine. Researchers believe this may help people with chronic low back pain.

Joint health: Walking backwards can help relieve knee pain and improve joint health.

Lower back pain: Walking backwards can ease lower back pain.

Cardiovascular fitness: Walking backwards can burn more calories than walking forward. In a small study, young women completed a backward walking and running training program. After 6 weeks, they had less body fat and better cardiorespiratory fitness.

Reverse walking can improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, allowing your heart and lungs to provide oxygen more efficiently during exercise. 

Mood: Walking backwards can reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Improve your posture: Many of us end up slouching for hours each day while driving, texting or sitting at a desk. Often, that poor posture carries over to when you’re walking. With regular backward walking, you might find yourself standing up straighter. As we age, we tend to hunch forward when we walk because we’re used to slouching throughout the day. Walking backward forces you to stand more upright, which can help you be mindful of your posture. Working your gluteal muscles, quadriceps and hip flexors can also help with posture.

• Talk to a healthcare professional first if you have balance problems or conditions like Parkinson's disease that raise your risk of falls. Walking backwards is not suggested for those who are healing from knee surgery during the first few weeks. Again, check with your healthcare professional before starting anything new.

How long should you walk backwards for?

A backward walking routine can be anywhere from 2 minutes to 30 or more, depending on where you are in your fitness journey. Start with shorter chunks of backward walking mixed in with your normal routine and build up to more as you can. I personally shoot for about 5-10 minutes each day.

Safety tips for walking backwards:

• Start slowly. Backward walking is a workout, so don’t overdo it. With any new activity, you can get injured if you do too much, too quickly.

• Avoid crowds. You don’t want to bump into others and hurt yourself (or them). If you use a popular walking path or track, go during off-peak times if possible. Be aware of your surroundings and turn down your music if people are around. You should do this no matter what to stay safe when walking, biking, etc.

• Seek smooth surfaces. Don’t try walking backwards on any unfamiliar surfaces or locations. Avoid bumpy roads or uneven terrain for obvious reasons (hello we don't want to fall down). Flat grass and roads are best.

When you get really good at it and want to increase your exercise level and benefits - try walking up a small or short hill. Again, be safe and only do this after you have successfully mastered walking backwards on flat ground.

The fact that you are here reading this challenge lets me know that you are ready to truly embrace inner healing and conquer all that is holding you back from living out God's best for you. Which leads me say, NOW is the time to join my group as we begin this 30-day Wellness Challenge - recipes, meal plans, resources and tools for women over 50!

Thank you for visiting and choosing to complete one of the greatest 30-day challenges you could ever begin! If you miss a day, then click on the tag Wellness Challenge at the bottom of each post. GO GRAB free resources for this challenge in my stories on Instagram/Facebook today! If you missed them, then reach out through DM and I will send them to you ASAP.

May God bless you on your inner healing journey!

Jill | INNER HEALING COACH

ICF Certified Somatic Integrated Trauma Informed Coach ™

CPD Accredited & Certified Integrated Trauma Informed Coach™

Certified Narcissistic Trauma Informed Coach ™

Certified Narcissistic Abuse Specialist ™

Certified Brainspotting Practitioner

Certified Mental Wellness Coach

www.innerhealingcoaching.com Questions, please email myinnerhealingcoach@gmail.com 

Follow us @innerhealingcoach

NOTE: I AM NOT a licensed medical professional. Please seek a medical professional for treatments, medical advice, or before you start any new wellness protocol.

YOUR BRAIN IS SPEAKING -EBOOK

Buy Now