Do treadmills cause more injury?

lporter229

Lately I have had to do several runs on the treadmill due to weather. As a result, I have noticed that I have much more soreness in my knees and sometimes in my hip. Does anyone else notice that they "hurt" after running on a treadmill? I try to avoid it at all costs, but circumstances lately have made it necessary.

KeithAngilly

I don't notice a difference. One thing I always do is to set it with a 1 or 2 percent incline. Supposedly, this makes the effort similar to road running and it definitely feels more natural to me. I also run outside when I can. But, given the choice of the risk of falling and injury (and losing training time!) and the treadmill, I'll take the treadmill every time. It's just a tool.

BrianSharpe

If you try to keep your stride as close to road running form as possible you shouldn't see much difference but many people tend to lengthen their stride on a treadmill.....perhaps this is the problem?

lporter229

If you try to keep your stride as close to road running form as possible you shouldn't see much difference but many people tend to lengthen their stride on a treadmill.....perhaps this is the problem?

Possibly. If I don't pay close attention, I often find my foot hitting off the front of the deck. Do you think that's a stride issue?

MinimalistShoeAddict

I have never been hurt but I do make an effort to avoid the continual repetitive motion of a treadmilll steady state run. I do this by periodically changing speed, incline, running backward as well a forward, performing high knee kicks etc.

There are times during a long steady state run (inside or outside) where I may feel a little stiff. Somehow running backwards for 30 seconds seems to help energize me and relieve any stiffness. Essentially I try to make my treadmill runs as closely resemble my outside runs as I can.

The only time I feel like I am risking injury on a treadmill is when I am running barefoot and the tread starts to get too hot for my feet.

lporter229

I find it nearly impossible to run at a steady speed for a long time on a treadmill...both physically and mentally. So, yeah, I do vary my speed quite a bit. As for running backwards...not sure about that. I think I would kill myself!

I think I will try Keith's advice and raise the incline a bit. I usually go at 0.5% incline.

timeasterday

It bothers my hips. When I was going through therapy for some hip issues the doctor said the treadmill pulls our feet back a little further than we would during a run outdoors. That pulls on my hip flexors which are usually tight.

BrianSharpe

If you try to keep your stride as close to road running form as possible you shouldn't see much difference but many people tend to lengthen their stride on a treadmill.....perhaps this is the problem?

Possibly. If I don't pay close attention, I often find my foot hitting off the front of the deck. Do you think that's a stride issue?

Could be.

When you're running outside does your forward foot land ahead of your hips?

lporter229

If you try to keep your stride as close to road running form as possible you shouldn't see much difference but many people tend to lengthen their stride on a treadmill.....perhaps this is the problem?

Possibly. If I don't pay close attention, I often find my foot hitting off the front of the deck. Do you think that's a stride issue?

Could be.

When you're running outside does your forward foot land ahead of your hips?

I am not sure. i don't think so. Should it?

sammyneb

I run differently on a treadmill than I do outside. I tend to be more of heel striker on the treadmill but tend to land more midfoot when I run outside. So it could be your stride that is causing you pain on threadmill vs. outside.