Why is everyone walking backwards on TikTok?

TikTok has an abundance of fitness content, with different workout tips and hacks becoming popular - but the most recent trend involves walking backwards.

(And no, it's not the moonwalk).

The trend involves gym goers walking backwards on a treadmill, which doesn't exactly sound like the safest of activities, especially for the accident-prone.

While it may seem like an unusual way to workout, some fitness influencers have claimed there are health benefits to doing this exercise.

TikToker and MMA fighter Kaytlin Katniss (@kaytlinkatnissmma) noted how walking backwards on a treadmill aided in her injury recovery and added that it "gets the blood flowing"

In addition, TikToker Chayse M Byrd (@chaysembyrd) described how the movement will "save your knees and joints," as well as claiming it's making improvements to her posture and coordination.

Occupational therapist and TikToker @kali.OT called it "the best thing you can do to strengthen your knees" as it focuses on the muscles you don't use on a daily basis, it also increases the stability of the knee and helps to prevent injury.

Although this is trending currently on TikTok, backwards walking isn't a new concept and was previously known as “retro walking” in the early 1900s.

Science also backs up the benefits of backwards walking, as biomechanics expert Janet Dufek explained to the BBC how research has proved this.

"Our research has shown that, indirectly, backward walking has some benefits relative to lower back pain simply because you're stretching the hamstrings," Dufek said.

"Often one of the pieces that's tied to lower back pain is tight hamstrings."

Research by Dufek and her colleagues found walking backwards for just 10-15 minutes per day over a four-week period increased the hamstring flexibility in 10 female students.

While another study by Dufek saw a reduction in lower back pain for five athletes after periods of backwards walking.

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