Help! Treadmill vs. Eliptical; walking vs. running

I haven't a clue about the machines (my grandson--5yo--is my coach), but here is a web site on how to prevent / treat shin splints. Maybe it will help.
http://walking.about.com/cs/medleg/ht/htshinsplints.htm

Personally, I'd buy the treadmill, you can walk, run, go up or down hills. I'd get one that has the heart monitor, calorie counter, and where you enter your weight and such.

My sister-in-law programed the treadmill at the gym with her hight, sex, and weight and then wore a HRM. The HRM said she burned almost double what the treadmill said.
I prefer to walk so I would say treadmill all the way. Like someone else said you can do so many things with a treadmill, where an elliptical you are stuck doing that. However, I did see someone post on here once that their dr told her that the motion of the elliptical is the equivalent of running. Plus (like someone else said) it's less strain on your joints. So I feel like an elliptical is better for you. I can't seem to fall in love with the elliptical, but I do burn more calories (not twice as many though) on the elliptical then the treadmill.

I burn more calories on the elliptical. I've never been interested in treadmills... I prefer to walk & jog/run outside.

I had ACL surgery last year and the surgeon suggested I NOT jog but use an elliptical, bike, or rower instead. I already had an elliptical and so I used the snot out of that. I've been very successful with it.

Since I lost some weight, got into better shape, and the weather improved, I started walking outside. I got shin splints the first few times out. I guess maybe I just went at it too hard, but I figured "it's just walking for crying out loud". I took it easy for a week and then started a little slower at walking and no longer have a problem.

Since you seem to have a pattern of shin splints I'd sure recommend the elliptical. I think there's a lot of difference in the way different elliptical machines feel. So be sure to try several out at the store for more than just a minute. It should be nearly silent and not awkward feeling to you. It isn't quite like walking but some of them feel kind of goofy to me. Mine has the flywheel on the back and maybe that's just the way I prefer it.

The reason I've kept at the elliptical as well as I have is because I also got a TV series on DVD that I like. I did a 45 minute session morning and night for a couple months. The shows are almost exactly 45 minutes without the commercials.

I'll have to check our local Sears and see what the sale looks like. I've worn my old elliptical out.
Good luck.

i also have shin splint but if i start at a slow walk and really warm up first like 15 min(ugh it stinks but it works for me) when i speed up or run there not to bad!! i love love love the eliptical though my knees and shins never hurt!!

You've probably already tried this, but i'm an avid runner and I was once told to shorten my stride to prevent shin splints. I would suggest a decent warm up, stretching, then when you start your actual run, shorten your stride. Since you're new (again) to running it will be hard on your body in the beginning, take a day or two in between each run (depending on how your body feels) but it should adjust in a couple weeks and you can up your distance. You should not try to cover to many K's in the beginning, do intervals of walking on an incline (keeping your heart rate up) and jogging, you need to ease your body into an exercise like running because it is hard on the legs, also if you can prevent it, NEVER run on pavement, I used to have many problems but now I only run on dirt paths (trail running also burns more calories because it is more challenging) tracks, or treadmills and I rarely have problems anymore (unless I overdo it)

As far as your purchase goes, I would personally never trust the burned calories counter on any machine, there are too many factors that it just doesn't account for, current physical fitness level being one of them. You could jump on it today do a 20 min. workout and it may show 200cals. burned, and you could jump on it 6 months later do the exact same workout and the calories would read roughly the same, where as in that 6 months you may have increased your fitness level and you would not burn the same amount of calories. I would get yourself a digital watch with a heart rate monitor (you can get a sufficient one for under $100) This will give you a more accurate reading of your heart rate (which an exercise machine will not unless it has pads that your strap to your chest or wrist).

Also, I would probably go for the treadmill because I get really bored on an elliptical, if i'm forced to be inside I need to do intervals, and it challenges more muscles when you switch between running and walking on a steep incline, while you can still keep your heart rate going strong. You could also purchase some light weights and do power-walking on a treadmill, definitely more versatile.

Hope this helps!

I prefer the elliptical to the treadmill.

1. Because it definitely burns more calories than when I exercise on the treadmill... Not quite twice as much but definitely a significant difference

2. I find I enjoy it more and the time seems to go quicker

and

3. I have knee and ankle joint instability and I find that I have less strain on my knees and ankles and feet... also I make sure I really pull on the handles and flex my muscles when working out on the elliptical which means I can feel my arms aching the day after... which means I'm getting a better all round workout!... I don't have a huge amount of time to go to the gym with my job so anything that does more for me in a short space of time gets me vote!!
If you have 2 children and 1 being a newborn I know you'll be slightly pushed for time too!!!! (I'm a nanny and have been for 20 yrs so I know what it's like!!!)