Brian had returned from a vacation that included a lot of sight-seeing.  


He walked close to 20,000 steps each day for several consecutive days.  


On the return flight, his left knee felt “full and achy.”  



When he got home, he sat in his recliner, elevated his knee, and put ice on it. 


He repeated this a few times a day before his knee no longer hurt.  



He thought he had solved his knee pain, so he took his dog for a walk.   


Later that evening, his left knee was hurting again.

Walking for Knee Pain Relief?

If you’re dealing with knee pain, walking can actually soothe your knees — when done correctly. 


But not all walking works the same for all knees. 


Understanding the difference between forward and backward walking could be the breakthrough you need to protect your knees, reduce pain, and build lasting strength.



When your knees are irritated, walking backwards may be a gentler, more effective place to start than traditional forward walking. 


Backward walking reduces impact, decreases pressure behind the kneecap, and offers a smart progression strategy to eventually build tolerance for forward walking.


But how do you know which direction is right for you — and when?

Forward vs. Backward Walking

Let’s break down how forward and backward walking affect your knees differently.


Forward Walking:


When you walk forward, your heel hits the ground first.


That impact travels directly up your leg — from your foot, through your shin, and into the space between your thigh bone and shin bone.


And this momentarily "squishes" everything in between your shin bone (tibia) and your thigh bone (femur), placing force on your knee.  



Within milliseconds, most of your bodyweight is supported by this leg, so you can take a step forwards with your other foot.


As your weight-bearing knee bends and moves forward past your toes, you put pressure behind the kneecap, in the trochlear groove where it tracks.



This impact and loading pattern can aggravate sensitive or inflamed knees, especially if they’re not ready for it.



Backward Walking:


In contrast, when walking backwards, the ball of your foot and your toes contact the ground first.


This initial contact allows your calf muscles and foot to provide shock-absorption, decreasing the impact of each step.  


Because of this shock absorption, less force travels up through your leg and into your knee. (​source​)



Your knee also stays more vertically aligned over your toes, which reduces pressure under the kneecap. (source)


This makes backward walking a less stressful, active way to move — ideal during painful phases of recovery.

What Your Knees Can Handle

Let’s say forward walking for 15 minutes feels fine for you.  


You feel no knee pain during, after, or the next morning. 


But 18 minutes of walking triggers knee soreness. 



Your threshold for forward walking is somewhere between 15 - 18 minutes.


This is your Walking Load Tolerance. (Read more about Load Tolerance here.)



In this case, you may be a good candidate to walk forward for 5 minutes at a time, repeating this 3 to 5 times each day.  


After you’ve done this for 7 - 10 consecutive days, determine whether your Walking Load Tolerance has changed.   


Can you walk forward for 18 minutes without pain during, after, or the next morning?

Keep It Gentle

The key to success is to choose what feels good or neutral.  


Even short walks can improve the resilience of your knees — if done consistently.


Backward walking can be an entry point to healing — and research backs it up. 



A randomized control trial published in the journal, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, compared three groups of people with knee arthritis (average age = 55 years old):

  • those who walked forwards,
  • those who walked backwards, &
  • a control group (no walking program).



Regardless of whether participants were walking forwards or backwards, they did so for at least 10 minutes, 3 days per week for 6 weeks.

(Note: All the study participants completed other exercises in addition to walking.)



Researchers found that the backward walkers experienced notable benefits.


They reported less knee pain.


And they improved the strength of their quadriceps muscles as measured by a handheld dynamometer. (source) 



You don’t necessarily need to start with 10 minutes. 


Even walking backwards down a hallway for 2–3 minutes a couple times a day may help your knees.

3 Ways to Advance Walking

Once you’ve found a baseline that feels good, you can build from there using three levers. 


#1 Increase Duration:


Small, steady increases help your knees adapt safely.


So for example, advance from 3 to 3.5 minutes, or 10 to 11 minutes.



#2 Increase Frequency: 


Add an extra session: from once a day to twice.


Or advance from three walks a week to four.



#3 Increase Force:


When you’re satisfied with the duration and frequency of your walking, consider increasing the force during your walks.  


For forward walking: walk faster or carry some weight (e.g., backpack, groceries).


For backward walking – when using a treadmill – turn off the power and push the belt with your legs.


And if you’re at a gym, you may advance your backward walking by using a strap to attach a sled with weight to your waist.

Key Takeaways:

  • Backward walking may reduce knee pain more effectively than forward walking.


  • Small, consistent walks (below your threshold for symptoms) will improve your knee health and your Walking Load Tolerance. 


  • Advance your walking in three ways: duration, frequency, and force — making sure it still feels good or neutral to your knees.

Make your knees feel better at home

Here's a guide to get started:

You can access it here. 

When I was visiting family in Australia earlier this year, my husband and I went to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.  


We saw a Norfolk Pine that had a sign indicating it was “The Wishing Tree.” 

The sign also stated that legend indicates wishes are granted to anyone who walks forward around the tree three times, followed by walking backward around the tree another three times.  


Catch a glimpse of the action here.



Let’s make knee pain history!

Laurie Kertz Kelly

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Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any health issue or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare professional. The author of this blog and the website do not bear any responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided in this blog.