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Objective To compare biomechanical characteristics of the knee joint during forward walking and backward walking. Methods Temporal-spatial, kinematics, kinetics parameters of 13 healthy young male volunteers were collected and compared by 3D motion capture system Vicon T40 and force platforms AMTI OR6-7. Results Compared with forward walking, the speed, cadence and stride length significantly decreased, while the gait cycle and stance phase percentage in gait cycle significantly increased during backward walking. In the sagittal plane, the range of motion (ROM), the maximum flexion/extension moment of the knee were smaller during backward walking. In the frontal plane, the ROM of knee varus/valgus during backward walking decreased, and the peak value of knee adduction moment significantly reduced in the early stance phase while significantly increased in the late stance phase of backward walking. The peak value of ground reaction force (GRF) was significantly larger in the early stance phase while smaller in the late stance phase during backward walking than that during forward walking. Conclusions The biomechanical characteristics of the knee joint during forward walking and backward walking are significantly different. Compared with forward walking, backward walking is helpful to reduce the medial compartment load in the early stance phase. Further study will be needed to investigate the effects of backward walking on knee joint loading in the late stance phase.
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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of oxygen consumption and heart rate at forward and backward treadmill walking in healthy male college students. METHOD: Subjects were composed of twenty healthy male college students. The oxygen consumption, oxygen consumption ratio of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max%) and heart rate, heart rate ratio of maximal heart rate (HRmax%) were measured for each subjects by administering a treadmill exercise test at 5 km/hr speed of forward and backward walking. Paired t-test was used to evaluate the difference of the forward and backward walking. RESULTS: The study showed that heart rate and HRmax% were 120.9 beat/min, 61.6% in forward walking, and 166.1 beats/min, 84.3% in backward walking, respectively. The oxygen consumption and VO2max% were 15.9 ml/kg/min, 37.3% in forward walking, and 23.6 ml/kg/min, 55.8% in backward walking, respectively. CONCLUSION: We concluded that 5 km/hr backward walking was more effective exercise program than forward walking to promote health in the college students.