Scientific Studies on Backward or Retro Walking

This is a listing or bibliography of scientific studies done on backwards running, for your further consideration in pursuing this fascinating topic:

Backward running bibliography
J.W. Mackie, T.E. Dean, Running backward training effects on upper leg musculature and ligamentous instability of injured knee, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 1984.

B. Bates, E. Morrison, J. Hamill, A comparison between forward and backward running, The Olympic Scientific Congress Proceedings - Biomechanics, Eugene (Usa/Oregon) 1986.

C.W. Amstrong, P. Spyropoulos, F. Andres, A comparison of ground reaction forces in backward and forward running, presented at the American Alliance for Health Physical Education. Recreation and Dance annual meeting, Cincinnati (Usa/Ohio) 1986.

P. Apor, J. Dubecz, T. Horbobagyi, Running backward uphill: its biomechanics and clinical application, proceedings of the Fifth Meeting of the European Society of biomechanics, Berlin (Germany) 1986.

Strazar-Saunders, J. Patricia, The effect of backward running on hamstring strength and forward running speed, thesis - University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis (Usa/Indiana) 1986.

T. Michaud, F.F. Andres, J.A. Rodriguez-Zayas, Physiological and perceptual responses to retro running and walking, Msse, 1987.

J. Stribling, Support leg joint moments of force during backward running at two different speeds, thesis - Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (Usa/Illinois), 1988.

P. Devita, J. Stribling, Lower extremity joint kinetics and energetics during backward running, Med Sci Sports Exercise, 1991.

T.W. Flynn, R.W. Soutas-Little, Mechanical power and EMG activity about the knee in forward and backward running, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 13:259, 1991.

T.W. Flynn, R.W. Soutas-Little, Patello-femoral joint compressive forces during forward and backward running, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, 23:4 Supplement, S6, 32, 1991.

T.W. Flynn, R.W. Soutas-Little, Mechanical power and muscle action during forward and backward running, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1993.

M.J. Satterfield, K. Yasumura, S.H. Abreu, Retro runner with ischial tuberosity enthesopathy, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1993.

Sprague, S. Edwin, Relationship between forward and backward running speed while wearing a lateral protective knee brace, thesis - Ball State University, 1994.

T.W. Flynn, R.W. Soutas-Little, Patello-femoral joint compressive forces during forward and backward running, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1995.

Steinley, Maurie Shawn, Quadriceps activation with backward running, thesis - St. Cloud State University, 1995.

Wright, Seth, Turning the other cheeks: insights into the cost of locomotion from backward running, thesis - Harvard University, 1995.

B. Dawson, Hamstring strains: could backwards running be a panacea?, Sport Medicine Australia National conference, Canberra (Australia) 1997.

A. Hodgkinson, The energetics and cardiopulmonary responses to backwards walking and running, Human Biology Final Year Project, 1997.

H.N. Williford, M.S. Olson, S. Gauger, W.J. Duey, D.L. Blessing, Cardiovascular and metabolic costs of forward, backward and lateral motion, Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 1998.

T.W. Flynn, P.R. Cavanagh, H.J. Sommer, J. Derr, Relationships among age, tibial width, late menarche, and tibial bone quality, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise; 30:5 Supplement S47, 266, 1998.

M. Oates, An investigation of ankle joint motion in football umpires during backwards and forwards running, Honours Thesis Abstract, 1999.

A. Arata, Kinematic and Kinetic Parameters of High Speed Backward Running, Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon, 1999.

M. De Smidt, E. Terblanche, The effect of training on the cardio-respiratory function of young women during backward running on a treadmill, XXVII Annual Congress of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa, Stellenbosch (South Africa) 1999.

T. Croy, L. Cross, N. Jopke, J. Weingarten, T. Flynn, D. Christie, P. Osmon, F. Underwood, Development of a backward walking maximal oxygen consumption test, Physical Therapy, 79:5 S46, 1999.

Bibliography on backward walking
B.T. Bates, S.T. McCaw, A comparison between forward and backward walking, proceedings of the North American Congress on Biomechanics: Human Locomotion IV, Montreal (Canada) 1986.

A. Thorstensson, How is the normal locomotor program modified to produce backward walking?, Experimental Brain Research, 1986.

P.Y. Shuck, D.S. Childress, Comparative analysis of forward and backward walking and stepping, proceedings of the X Annual Conference of Resna, 1987.

T. Michaud, F.F. Andres, J.A. Rodriguez-Zayas, Physiological and perceptual responses to retro running and walking, Msse, 1987.

D.A. Winter, N. Pluck, J.R. Yang, Backward walking, Motor Behavior, 1989.

C.W. Amstrong, J.M. Commanger, S. Wooley, A comparative analysis of forward and backward walking, The Sixth Annual East Coast Gait Conference, Michigan State University, East Lansing (Usa/Michigan) 1990.

D. Eilam, G. Shefer, Reversal of interleg coupling in backward locomotion implies a prime role of the direction of locomotion, The Journal of Experimental Biology Volume, 1992.

T.W. Flynn, S.M. Connery, M.A. Smutok, R.J. Zeballos, I.M. Weisman, Comparison of cardiopulmonary responses during forward and backward walking and running in normals, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, 25:5 Supplement S186, 1046, 1993.

T.W. Flynn, R.W. Soutas-Little, Comparison of mechanical power and muscle activity during forward and backward walking, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1994.

E.M. Health, Effects of backward walking as a training technique on cardiorespiratory fitness, electromyographie activity, and lower limb movements patterns, 1994.

D.J. Cipriani, C.W. Amstrong, S. Gaul, Backward walking at three levels of treadmill inclination: an electromyographic and kinematic analysis, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1995.

G. Myatt, R. Baxter, R. Dougherty, G. Williams, J. Halle, D. Stetts, F. Underwood, The cardiopulmonary cost of backward walking at selected speeds, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1995.

J. Duysens, A.A. Tax, L. Murrer, V. Dietz, Backward and forward walking use different patterns of phase-dependent modulation of cutaneous reflexes in humans, J. Neurophysiol, 1996.

J.R. Blackwell, Effect of backward walking on cardiorespiratory fitness and biomechanical efficiency of movement, University of San Francisco Faculty Development Research Funds, 1996.

E.C. Chaloupka, J. Kang, M.A. Mastrangelo, M.S. Donnelly, Cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses during forward and backward walking, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1997.

E.M. Heath, J.R. Blackwell, K.W. Kornatz, U.C. Baker, D.R. Smith, Effects of backward walking training on selected cardiorespiratory parameters, presented to the American College of Sports Medicine, 1997.

J. Hill, J. Ortel, K. Houck, J. Vondruska, (F. Underwood, A. Kelly, T. Metzler), Effect of six week backward walking regimen on maximal oxygen consumption and blood lactate levels, 1997.

F.F. Andres, C.D. Mc, Auley, M. Miller, J. Mc, Millian, Estimated oxygen consumption or retro-locomotion, Msse, 1997.

E. Clarkson, S. Cameron, P. Osmon, C. McGraw, M. Smutok, D. Stetts, F. Underwood, Oxygen consumption, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion in young adult women during backward walking at different speeds, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1997.

J. Childs, J. Payne, D. Higgins, C. Gantt, F. Underwood, R. Franklin, T. Metzler, The effect of repeated bouts of backward walking on biomechanical efficiency, in review with the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1997.

A. Hodgkinson, The energetics and cardiopulmonary responses to backwards walking and running, Human Biology Final Year Project, 1997.

T.W. Croy, J.L. Weingarten, L.R. Cross, N.H. Jopke, T.W. Flynn, D. Christie, P.M. Osmon, Development of a backward walking maximal oxygen consumption test, manuscript submitted to Journal of Orthopaedic and sports Physical Therapy, 1998.

R.W. Van Deursen, T.W. Flynn, J.L. McCrory, E. Morag, Does a single control mechanism exist for both forward and backward walking?, Gait Posture, 1998.

R. Grasso, L. Bianchi, F. Lacquaniti, Motor patterns for human gait: backward versus forward locomotion, Journal Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 1998.

N.A. Tolani, R. Kram, Biomechanics of backward walking, International Society of Biomechanics Congress, 1999.

J.A. Vilensky, J.A. Cook, J.L. Cooper, Stumbling corrective responses in healthy human subjects to rapid reversal of treadmill direction, Electromyogr Kinesiol, 1999.

Y.P. Ivanenko, R. Grasso, F. Lacquaniti, Influence of leg muscle vibration on human walking, J. Neurophysiol, 2000.

Lamb, Tania, J.F. Yang, Could different directions of infant stepping be controlled by the same locomotor central pattern generator?, J. Neurophysiol, 2000.

C. Schneider, B.A. Lavoie, C. Capaday, On the origin of the soleus H-reflex modulation pattern during human walking and its task-dependent differences, J. Neurophysiol, 2000.

M. Gross, The rehabilitation implications of forward and backward walking.

D. Yoshimoto, T. Mohr, A. Palmgren, J. Frappier, An EMG study of quadriceps and hamstrings activity during forward and backward walking.

H.D. Day, V.J. Goins, Veering in women inconsistency of forward and backward progression.

E.C. Chaloupka, J. Kang, M.A Mastrangelo, M.S. Donnelly, Cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses during forward and backward walking.

M.G. Carpenter, A. Bellos, A.E. Patla, Is backward stepping over obstacles achieved through a simple temporal reversal of forward stepping?

K. Verfaillie, Perceiving human locomotion priming effect in direction discrimination.

Takashi Yokoi, Akihiko Takahashi, Makoto Muraoka, Chieko Fujita, Self-organized transition of the leg motion in the learning process of a locomotion.

Visually impaired persons: forward and backward walking.

Bibliography on backward movements (studies with animals)
L. Smith, Mutable and immutable motor patterns for different cyclical tasks of the cat hindlimb, Dept. Physiological Science, University of California, Los Angeles (Usa/California).

J.A. Vilensky, J.A. Cook, Do quadrupeds require a change in truck posture to walk backward?

J.A. Buford, R.F. Zernicke, J.L. Smith, Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. I. Posture and hindlimb kinematics.

J.A. Buford, J.L. Smith, Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. II. Hindlimb muscle synergies.

J.A. Buford, J.L. Smith, Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. III. Strumbling corrective reactions and cutaneous reflex sensitivity.

J.A. Buford, K.L. Perell, R.J. Gregor, J.L. Smith, Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. IV. Hindlimb kinetics during stance and swing.

J.A. Buford, C.A. Pratt, J.L. Smith, Adaptive control for backward quadupedal walking. V. Mutable activation of bifunctional thigh muscles.

R.J. Dooling, M.H. Searcy, Forward and backward auditory masking in the parakeet.

M.A. Ashley-Ros

s, G.V. Lauder, Motor patterns and kinematics during backward walking in the pacific giant salamander: evidence for novel motor output, J. Neurophysiol, 1997.