Fitness Myths: Treadmills are better for your knees / joints

This is more of a half-myth and there is some truth to it but it isn't as universal as treadmill manufacturers would have us believe. The fact of the matter is, like most things, that you get what you pay for and even then this idea that your joints are totally protected is largely false.

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_{hooray! my knees are safe!}

The types of treadmills that a fitness center will have cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. They are extremely sophisticated machines and of course, with this comes an increased price tag. It is highly unlikely that a person is going to purchase one of these for their own homes unless they are extremely loaded.

While the impact from each step is in-fact reduced as you hamster your way to nowhere, treadmills also introduce other strains that would otherwise not exist if you were free-running on the street.

If you have any experience on a treadmill you have no doubt felt the strain as you work to catch up with the floor that is going to continue moving whether or not you choose to go along with it. This is particularly true of your Achilles heel and other lower leg muscles and tendons that otherwise would not have this strain on them if you were running outdoors.

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A number of studies have been done on damage to joints between treadmill runners and street runners and the end result is that there is so little difference between the "damage" done to knees (which is the main advertising point for treadmills manufacturers) that it really isn't worth paying attention to. Plus, according to Josh Cox, author and personal training manager at Anytime Fitness, treadmills are largely misunderstood.

So basically, the experts agree that running on a treadmill should be seen as a convenience for those who have limited time or live in an urban area that is not conducive to running outdoors, but not as a "safe" alternative to running on trails or on cement - because the science is there for anyone who is willing to look for it: There is basically no difference between the two as far as long-term effects are concerned.

Plus the long-term effects or "damage" to joints from running is largely a myth as well. I detailed this in another article.

Most trainers agree that the "best" way to train using running is to mix up your routine if possible by getting a mix of treadmill and street / trail running. Mostly, the perceived benefits of using a treadmill is an advertising gimmick predicated by the manufacturers of said machines. Imagine that? Half-truths in advertising!

_{I am not a professional trainer nor a dietitian. I am merely recounting what I did in order to lose over 50 lbs and gain muscle mass while still living a fun life and I think it can work for other people as well}