That’s why he recommends starting with a very slow speed (a good rule of thumb is half the pace you’d walk forward at, he says), attaching the treadmill safety clip (if there is one) to your clothing, and placing your hands on the rails for support.
Once you get used to that speed, you can consider increasing it slightly, but just know picking up the pace isn’t the goal—you’re not after cardio here. In fact, you may never walk backwards as quickly as you walk forward, and that’s okay, Dr. Haas says. Instead, it’s more important to get comfortable with the speed you’re at, Dr. Agnew says. And anyways, pumping up the speed while you’re already on the treadmill requires flipping forward to access the button, which could get a little…dicey. That’s why your safest bet is to just select a comfy pace and stick with it.
As you’re stepping back, think about reaching your toes behind you first, then pushing through your entire foot, then pushing through your heel as you straighten your leg. Think of it as a toe-to-heel rocking motion, Dr. Agnew says.
There’s no magic number of minutes to walk for, but Dr. Agnew says he typically has people try it for 5 to 10 minutes. Backwards walking fits really well as a warm-up or a cooldown to a strength routine or other workout, Dr. Agnew says. No matter how you slot it in, if you start feeling tired, like you’re losing your balance, or some area of your body is tightening up as you stroll, Dr. Haas advises calling it quits.
And if you’re serious about relieving knee pain, walking backwards probably shouldn’t be the sole thing you’re doing to address it. Depending on what’s causing your discomfort, other things like strength training can play an important role. Of course, seeing an expert, like a physical therapist, is your best bet for determining the wisest way to address your knee pain. Dr. Agnew recommends seeing someone if you have any type of knee pain—even mild discomfort that’s just started nagging you—as addressing things early can help you get back to activity and recovery much more quickly than waiting it out, he explains.
So should you add backwards walking to your routine?
If you’re looking to spice up your gym routine and enhance your balance, backwards walking is “an interesting thing to try for variety,” Dr. Haas says. Just keep in mind a lot of the research on it has been focused on small groups of people with very specific diagnoses, which makes it tough to give blanket statements on the benefits of backwards walking for the general population.
“It doesn’t mean it’s wrong to try it, but just keep in mind it’s probably not the magic bullet—it’s just one option,” Dr. Haas says. To that end, if you’re trying to solve an issue related to knee pain or back pain, instead of hopping on the treadmill and twirling around, “it’s probably better to get to the root of the issue with a skilled professional, like a physical therapist or a trainer, instead,” Dr. Haas says.
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