If you go to the park in Beijing in the early morning you will see many people practicing many different types of exercises that would seem bizarre to us Americans. One exercise that most people find bizarre is called 倒着走 the pinyin is Dao zhe zou which is translated as walking backwards in English. As an acupuncturist I enjoy exercises like this and I often practice in Rego Park.
So why do so many Chinese people practice this exercise and why do many Chinese doctors prescribe it to their patients as part of their treatment?
Walking backwards has many benefits for the hips, waist, knees, spine, brain, heart and, sexual function to name a few. It can also help to improve posture.
Many people that suffer from chronic back, hip and knee pain or weakness could benefit from this exercise because the action of walking backwards will take the stress off the knees and lower back and engage the muscles in the front of your thighs and abdomen. As a result this will allow the muscle in the lower back and waist to relax. This relaxation can over time adjust the alignment of the pelvis and take pressure off of the lower back. It will also allow the gluteus and hamstring muscles on the back of the thigh to relax as well. Many people that have back pain and weakness have very poor flexibility and tightness in these areas.
In Chinese medicine the feet are viewed as the roots of the body. The energy in the lower half of the body should be warm and dense while the upper body should be cool and clear. Chinese people are very protective of their feet. They pay very close attention to keep their feet covered and warm. In today’s modern world a persons heart and mind is overly stressed. Too much sensory stimulation through modern technology and fast pace living tends to over work the nervous system. We tend to be less in our bodies and more in our heads. The most obvious results of this is insomnia, dream disturbed sleep, shallow sleep, stress, headaches, nervousness, infertility, constipation, fatigue and many other symptoms associated with a nervous system that is over stimulated. These symptoms can be helped with foot soaking. People that suffer from menstrual pain, infertility or other types of chronic pain may also find benefits from soaking their feet. This is due to the fact that warming the feet helps to increase circulation through the entire body. 
On the Chinese calendar winter started on November seventh. In Rego Park it does not seem much like winter though. Usually by this time of year we are already in the 30’s. We are nearing Christmas and it feels more like October. This time of year is an easy time for people to get sick. I would like to share some simple advice from Chinese medicine that will allow you to have a healthy and relaxed winter season. 
