Combined Effect Of Retro-Walking And Forward Walking On Hamstring Flexibility In Obese Individuals

Abstract

Background

Aims: Obese people frequently have hamstring tightness, which lowers their quality of life. Tight hamstrings frequently result in postural instability, decreased flexibility, and an increased risk of injury. It has been demonstrated that the combination of conventional exercises, forward walking, and retro walking increases lower limb flexibility. This study aims to evaluate the combined effect of retro-walking and forward walking on hamstring flexibility in obese individuals.

Material and method: The present experimental study on those with obesity was conducted in Karad. The 80 participants in the  study  were taken into account. Participants in the study are from the 30 to 50-year-old obese population. The data was collected via. Consent was acquired with information gained from all participants. The ethical approval of study was obtained by the institutional ethical committee (protocol no. 374/2024-20250).

Results: The experimental investigation involved 80 obese participants, between the ages of 30 and 50, both men and women. A comparison of two groups was made. Both  sit-and-reach test and the 90-90 hamstring test indicate that group B had shown extreme significant improvement in terms of hamstring flexibility (p <0.05) in the post-intervention study.

Conclusion:The study found that both conventional exercises, forward and retro walking, this common workout, are useful for increasing hamstring flexibility in obese people. This attention to the posterior chain muscles promotes muscle balance and reduces the risk of injury. According to our research, hamstring flexibility can be increased by involving conventional exercises into a regular routine that also includes forward and retro walking.