I have used my walking foot for all kinds of stiches. I have never had a problem. The store where I purchased my machine said I shouldn't do it, but I do! It turns out great; even the zig zag stich. I have a Baby Lock Allure. Maybe it is the machine. I do recommend that you try the stitch first to make sure it does not hit anywhere.
Diane

I use mine just fine with zigzagging and other fancy stitches. My feeddog doesn't work right now, so I'm using the walking foot all the time. Just finished with a buttonhole stitch to applique some fan blades onto the background fabric and it worked great.

Best to check your instructions, but if you have a wide throat (place for the needle to go down), you should be able to zig zag as well. You won't break it, but the needle will break if you don't.

I use my walking foot for all the decorative stitches on my machine, works great on the 3 layers when ready to quilt. No puckering.

I use my walking foot just like any other foot. Had never heard until today that you can't or shouldn't do reverse. Do it all the time. As I said in another place here on the board, "it's just a foot the machine does the reverse. Not sure what others do but I have 3 Janome machines and use the walking foot on 2 of them all the time. My 10000 machine I just use for embroidery but can use it for sewing if the need arose. I like piecing with it on as the fabric feeds evenly. I've also done fancy stitches as part of quilting.