After standing up to lose weight it is now time to run backwards to burn calories. Yes, according to a latest trend, fitness enthusiasts are trying out a new workout wherein you run backwards instead of running the normal way and this helps in burning more calories. The viability and excitement for this new trend remains to be seen.

Speaking on it, actor Gul Panag said, “Fitness is not about following trends and it’s certainly not about counting calories. For me fitness is about having a healthy heart and I won’t subscribe to this because the danger of me falling over and hitting my head is far greater than any other advantage I may get out of running backwards.” Sounding excited about the trend fitness expert Abhimanyu Sable added, “As this is a new motion for the body, more energy will be required.

I would suggest trying it because anything new that you do changes your body as a response reflex. But there is no research that suggests that you burn more calories by doing this.” Physiotherapist Dr Savita Rairikar feels it can prove useful to some extent. She said, “Running backward requires more concentration than running forward and this might be a reason behind burning more calories. One can suggest this to a person only after fully understanding the limitations of this method. As there is very less literature available on this matter and research on it is ongoing we are yet to say how useful is it taking into account a person’s physical capacity.”

Does running backward reduce the stress and impact faced by the knees and bones of the legs? Dr Shailesh Hadgaonkar, consulting orthopaedic spine surgeon, said, “If you are doing it to strengthen your spine or back, then you need to think again. Running backwards uphill is not advisable for anyone with a problem in their spine or lower back. Otherwise, there is no problem in trying it out. Also ensure that you are running in a safe area like a park to prevent injury and that the right erect posture is maintained while running. It is too early to say if it is going to be more useful than running forward.”