Therapeutic efficacy of walk backward and forward on a slope in normal adults

경사로에서 전방보행과 후방보행의 운동학적인 효과 비교

This study aimed to examine the therapeutic effects of backward walking. The subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental group of 16 subjects and a control group of 17 subjects. All subjects walked barefoot for twenty minutes on the treadmill (HM50EX, Daeho, Korea) for five times per week for total four weeks. The average gait velocities of subjects were 3 km/h on a slope of 10%. The experimental group walked back and the control group walked forward. The experimental group showed significant increments in variable of medial-lateral, anterior-posterior, step length, velocity compared to the pre-intervention results. In addition, the control group showed significant increments in the anterior-posterior, velocity compared to the pre-intervention results. Significant differences in the post-training gains in variable of anterior-posterior, step length, velocity were observed between the experimental group and the control group. There were positive effects of backward walking on their gait and balance ability after intervention.