threadmills

jobless

I just getting back into the gym after a bit of a lay off and have started running on the threadmills.
I’ve been told these are bad for the legs…..i was just looking for people opions on them……
Has anyone ever suffered injury from using them?......should I stear clear?

g'em

treadmills are generally kinder to your knees and ankles than running on solid ground as they'll absorb more of the impact as you run, just as running on grass is easier than concrete. But if you have very dodgy knees, you might be better stick to a cross trainer or other low-impact cardio machine.

Iago

on the subject of treadmills what's the "distance loss" associated with them?

I've always been under the impression (can't remember from where) that you lose between 15-20% of distance travelled as opposed to just running outside, can anyone confirm or set me straight?

Superdub2

i have problems with shin splints and as such i stay well away from threadmills for a couple of reasons. while they have got shock absorbers you are still basically running on metal and over the years your legs and body have probably become used to runnign on natural surfaces and as such are not attuned to threadmills and this can cause problems.

to sum up in my opinion they are not a good thing and i have been told this by several people including a friend who is a long distace runner and who has run for Ireland