Quad + tendon, zero impact
Backward walking
Movement guide
Backward walking
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Existing guide · editorial review pending. Clinical review is pending.
Sources and review status
Sources support the educational description; they do not establish that this exercise is suitable for you.
- backward walking trials in knee arthritis (Lin 2026 meta-analysis of 13 trials; Alghadir 2019; Goonasegaran 2022)
No variation is labeled clinically validated.
Walking backward changes the coordination and loading demands of walking. Added to rehabilitation for knee arthritis it helped pain and function in trials, but it was no better than walking forwards when the two were compared, so it is one useful option rather than a cure; use a clear space and suitable balance support.
Make it easier or harder
Choose a version that fits your control and comfort.
Easier option
Use a smaller comfortable range in this same movement, with the support described in its guide. Ingram 2025 review of stretching and range of motion
Harder option
3D demoBackward sled dragIntermediate · A sledSuggested next step, intermediate grade.
How to do it
- 01Find a clear hallway, track, or treadmill set slow.
- 02Walk backward with short steps, reaching back with the toes and rolling toe to heel.
- 03Let the knees bend softly under you; you should feel the front of the thighs working.
- 04Accumulate five to ten minutes; lean slightly forward from the ankles, not the waist.
Mistakes that waste your reps
- Long striding, which turns it into an awkward reach instead of a quad pump.
- Craning over one shoulder the whole time; glance, then trust the clear path.
- Doing it fast; slow with a slight lean beats speed in every study protocol.
Where this comes from
Discomfort that eases as you move is normal; pain that sharpens is a stop sign. If this area is injured or persistently painful, a clinician outranks this page.
Written by Kyle Jenkin · updated August 31, 2026 · how we grade evidence
Pairs well with
What it works
Muscles
Works the knees. Individual muscles are not yet classified.
Equipment
None: body weight and floor space.
Level
Beginner. See the easier and harder options above.
Workouts that use it
- Low-impact leg workout (no jumping) · 20 min
- Strength and balance exercises for seniors · 40 min
- Parkinson's exercise routine at home: big movements, strength and balance · 35 min
- Knee strengthening workout: from first steps to full range · 25 min
- Exercises for peripheral neuropathy: balance and leg strength in shoes · 35 min
- Netball warm-up: the KNEE programme · 20 min
- Balance training workout: from standing still to moving · 20 min
- Power and balance workout: fast lifts and one-leg control · 40 min
Show all 13 workoutsShow fewer workouts
- Yoga for balance: a 30-minute standing class, from steady to moving · 30 min
- Standing Pilates for balance: a 25-minute counter and mat class · 25 min
- Knee mobility routine: bend and straighten your knee · 12 min
- Yoga for pickleball players: a 25-minute class at a counter for calves, one-leg balance and stepping, standing strength, and the paddle shoulder and forearm, with nothing head-down · 25 min
- Counter-to-mat Pilates for women over 60: a 30-minute class for the pelvic floor, bone, leg and back strength, and balance · 30 min
Pain guides that use it
Part of a staged plan, with when to get help first.
Guides that use it
- Pilates for balance guide
- Pilates for older women guide
- Yoga for balance guide
- Yoga for pickleball players guide
- Exercise for older adults
- Exercise for Parkinson's
- Exercises for peripheral neuropathy
- Exercise for sarcopenia
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Questions people ask
What muscles does the Backward walking work?
It works the knees.
What equipment do I need for the Backward walking?
No equipment: your body weight and a little floor space.
Is the Backward walking good for beginners?
It is graded beginner, so it suits most people starting out. When it feels easy, try the Backward sled drag.
How do I make the Backward walking harder?
Progress to the Backward sled drag. Follow that guide’s technique and any stated timing.
One move is a start. A thread is better.
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