The use of treadmills has long been a point of contention among members of the distance running community. Some runners insist that treadmill running is the only convenient way to maintain fitness in their hectic lives. Others praise the springiness of the machine, saying it saves their knees when running on concrete becomes unbearable.
Yet opponents to
treadmill running argue that it interferes with the natural gait of the runner
and it prevents us from reaching that transcendentalist state that can only be
obtained by running through a dense forest. Luckily, we live in a time when these
questions all have scientific answers (except, of course, the last).
The idea that running on a treadmill causes the runner to change his/her gait keeps many people from hopping on the machine. That argument might seem logical, after all when you run outside the ground stays in place while you propel yourself forward as opposed to running on a treadmill where the belt moves under you, seemingly pulling your feet backwards. But in 2008, a study was done that refutes this point. The results of the study identified that the gaits of runners on a treadmill were not significantly different from those same people running overground.
Another study found that treadmill running can be slightly less taxing than running outside because wind-resistance does not play a factor when running inside. If that is a concern for you, it is recommended to run at a 1% grade on a treadmill. This should be a decision based on personal preference. If you feel more comfortable at a 1% incline, then put it at 1%. If 0% feels more natural, then it is not necessary to increase the incline. The only difference is that setting a treadmill at 1% accounts for the energy that would have been used to battle wind resistance if you had run outside.
So, since running on a treadmill is statistically similar to running outside, each runner must ask himself, "Should I hop on the treadmill?" That is a question of personal preference.
One advantage of treadmill running is that it is undoubtedly softer than running on concrete. For many runners, that springiness makes treadmill running more comfortable than running outside. Another reason to hit the treadmill is that in the winter, when the roads are icy and the temperatures cold, perhaps the idea of throwing on a pair of shorts and pounding out some miles inside seems ideal.
But regardless of the advantages, some runners simply can't stand the monotony of the treadmill and find themselves longing for the scent of pine (or if you live in a city, perhaps car exhaust). At the end of the day, whether on treadmill, trail or eating up concrete, the important thing is that you are running.