Most gyms are lined with treadmills yet, there is usually a road outside the gym, couldn't you just run there? It's free and at least you feel like you are moving.
So why are there so many treadmills in these gyms? And why are they always full?
Surely it's a question of taste? After all, it's the same thing isn't it?
Often you will hear how road running is a heavy impact activity which can cause damage to your knees. Treadmills are cushioned to absorb the impact and is therefore safer. You don't have to deal with the weather. The surface is even and you don't have to be mindful of your safety from muggers or inattentive drivers.
Yes, treadmills are the way to go, aren't they?
Let's look deeper.
What happens when we run?
Firstly we extend one leg out in front using our quadriceps (thigh muscles). Before bringing the foot down and make contact with the ground. At this point the posterior (rear) muscles take over pulling and flexing the leg to propel us forward as the other leg extends out to repeat the sequence.
So very simplistically, we are constantly performing leg extensions followed by leg curls, working the muscles on both sides of the leg.
However, on a treadmill this is not the case. We still extend our leg, but upon connecting with the belt of the treadmill, it takes over and rather than propelling our bodies forward with the posterior leg muscles, the belt does this for us by pulling the foot backwards. Essentially, as far as our leg muscles are concerned, we are doing half the work and are only using the anterior (front) muscles to do it.
This means, firstly, less calories burned due to fewer recruited muscles and secondly, the imbalance is likely to cause stress, particularly to the knee.
This goes somewhat against the argument that treadmill running is safer than outdoor running as far as your joints are concerned.
Further, according to a study by the University of East London (1998) the hip flexion angle increases significantly when running on a treadmill. Hip and knee flexion angles have to increase to bring the hip through the stride causing a tightening and fatigue of the hip flexor muscles. As a result technique alters automatically to counter this weakness causing poor form. This can also cause knee pain, compounding the issue of the imbalanced muscle development.
Researchers have also found that when the foot lands on the belt of a treadmill, the foot, ankle and shin, become temporarily part of the belt and move backwards from the centre mass of the body at the same speed. This means the shinbone is not as upright as with normal running and is forced into a greater range of motion, which in turn can lead to stress of both the bone and its supporting muscles (causing a tight feeling often referred to as shin splints).
All this is not to say running on a treadmill should be avoided entirely. As a means of warming up or an occasional CV workout it is as good as any.
Also, during the winter months in particular, the risks involved with running outside may well outweigh the benefits, in which case using a treadmill would be a good alternative to avoid losing progression.
If your concern is burning calories and you would rather stay indoors, I'd suggest you would get more benefit from circuit style training where a good balance of muscle groups can be catered for. You can get your heart rate up just the same and ensure opposing muscle groups are equally worked, which will not only burn more calories in the long run, but will help prevent injury and make you functionally fitter.
In short, treadmills have their place, but the next time you go to get on one, stop and have a look outside. There's a whole world out there to explore, places you miss in your every day commutes. Why not get some fresh air in your lungs, some vitamin D and all the additional benefits associated with road running? At least you'll feel like you're getting somewhere.
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If you are interested in finding out more on fat burning, road running or general fitness information, head over to dynamiccoresolutions.com for more information and to find a more detailed version of this article.
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