Abstract
Biokineticists make use of variety of treatment modalities to address varying conditions
including the use of walking as a rehabilitation modality. The therapeutic benefit of
forward walking is well-known and this has led to an increased interest in the possible
therapeutic benefits of retro walking. Retro walking is not solely the reversal of forward
walking, but it has different physiological and biomechanical characteristics. The main
aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic benefits of retro walking. The study
was conducted by means of a systemic review. Seven different data bases were used
to obtain previous research articles on retro walking. Both randomised and nonrandomised
controlled trials were used in the analysis. From the 516 articles found,
six articles met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. The results indicated that
retro walking was an effective treatment modality for the treatment of patients with
knee osteoarthritis, reducing knee pain, increasing functional ability and increasing
quadriceps femoris strength. Retro walking was also beneficial in the treatment of
stroke; stroke patients who used retro walking as a therapeutic modality increased
their 3-m, 5-m and 10-meter walk test results, their 6-minute walk distance, balance
scores and lung function values. Retro walking was also beneficial for weight-loss in
overweight and obese patients. Therefore, the present study found that retro walking
is an effective, safe and easy to administer treatment modality for orthopaedic,
neurological and chronic conditions.