Walking backward not superior for heart health, says cardiologist

Cardiology professor Dr. Khaled Al-Nemer has clarified that walking backward is not superior to walking forward when it comes to heart health or overall fitness, but is often used in therapeutic rehabilitation.

Al-Nemer, writing on his X platform account, outlined four benefits of walking backward:

1 - Higher calorie burn at the same speed

2 - Improves balance in rehabilitation programs

3 - May reduce knee osteoarthritis pain (limited and weak evidence)

4 - Enhances muscle strength when included in rehabilitation

He also noted three drawbacks of walking backward:

1 - Risk of colliding with people behind you

2 - Increased chance of falling due to balance issues

3 - Insufficient evidence that it is superior to normal walking for heart health or weight loss