Treadmill; It is more important now due to lack of time, fewer areas to run comfortably and bad weather conditions. So, is there any harm to the treadmill, does it have the same effect as running outside, or how should it be used? Running on a Treadmill or Jogging Outdoors?
I will try to explain in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the treadmill and the effects of the treadmill on joints and muscles.
Treadmill: does it have a positive or negative effect?
There is no single answer to this question. It is a fact that in some cases it has positive and sometimes negative effects. In this case, it is up to us to compare benefits and harms and choose. In fact, they have similar effects on many issues. For this reason, I will list the important points and make the right choice according to the situation.
Advantages of the treadmill
The ability to always train is the most important feature of the treadmill. It is a very important detail to keep the movement going when you cannot train outside. Another important feature of the treadmill is that it provides a controlled and measurable exercise opportunity.
In other words, when you want to HIIT on the treadmill, you can increase the speed or have a steep slope whenever you want. But you cannot increase your speed or find a slope whenever you want outside. In this respect, the treadmill provides you with great opportunities.
Disadvantages of the treadmill
Due to the technical characteristics of the treadmill, it cannot provide a natural running environment in some cases. These are: the treadmill causes this by its short stride distance, the side handles and a few mechanical factors. Disrupting your running form can give you a lifetime of bad posture and joint pain.
In addition, running outside and running on the treadmill exercises muscle groups in different amounts. By changing the traction of these muscles, it can disrupt your posture.
In some cases, the treadmill can increase the risk of injury. This feature is related to the ability to change the way you step on the ground, restrict the movements of the body in natural running mechanics, and the ground that the foot touches is not soft enough. These problems can cause joint / muscle injuries. Most treadmills now have a suspension system. Although this system reduces the pressure on the knees and other joints, it never creates real grass or running track comfort.
In addition, the suspension system of common treadmills weakens and hardens over time. Most gyms do not repair expensive treadmills. For this reason, it is important to choose treadmills with better suspension and less used in gyms.
Less muscle work is a common problem on the treadmill. The reason for this is that the mechanics of the treadmill are different from running outside. Outside, you have to push your body forward and many muscles (including the upper body) work in your body. On the treadmill, the floor slides under your foot and you do not have to push your body forward, so the treadmill means less effort, less muscle activity and therefore less calorie burning than running outside.
Treadmill vs Jogging Outdoors: recommendations
The treadmill may be required at certain time intervals for some athletes. For this reason, it does not make sense to ban or avoid the treadmill. You shouldn’t spend more than half of the total time you run on the treadmill. You need to balance your running time on the treadmill with running outside. You have to apply both together. Also, do not use the treadmill heavily and run outside on as much quality (smooth and soft) ground as possible.
