Like many college students, I have grown increasingly aware of the reality that is the “freshman fifteen.” So, in an effort to put a stop to the dreaded process, I have vowed to work out as many times a week as my schedule allows. Time and time again I go to the gym, hop on a treadmill, and force myself to run for as long as I can endure it (which, is not very long as I am easily bored by running). Recently, my boredom got me thinking, leading me to a blog worthy question: Is it more effective to run outside or on a treadmill?
Turn’s out, the question of treadmill vs. terrain is commonly debated in the world of running. Active Magazine Argues that running on a treadmill is better for four reasons: It’s a forgiving surface, it’s safer, It allows runners the chance to check and perfect their form, and it offers the option of more enjoyable fantasy workouts. On the other hand Mark’s Daily Apple offers five reasons why running outside is superior: running outside is more enjoyable, A treadmill is too flat and unchanging which does not allow runners to build adaptive joint strength, treadmills change the biomechanics of you run and don’t engage the posterior chain as much as running outside, and running on a treadmill is “easier” and does not offer the beneficial challenges that running outside does. Both articles provide valid arguments for each of their points, which lead me to further my studies for the scientific proof.
The Huffington Post: Science article “To Run Outside or on a Treadmill? A Dilemma Foreign to Forrest Gump” uses multiple scientific studies to decide which option is a better fit based on four separate categories: running pattern, forces and mechanical demand, muscle activation, and energy and speed. A study done by the University Of Delaware shows that runners demonstrated similar running patterns on a treadmill and terrain. Some differences were attributed to change in stride length that is more commonly associated with terrain (over-ground running). This along with a study done by University of Virginia which found that over-ground running “causes increase in peak knee extension and flexion during the swing phase,” lead to the conclusion that treadmill running is a better option for people who wish to develop a running pattern. As for forces and mechanics, treadmill running “reduced peak anterior propulsive forces and medial ground reaction forces (GRFs),” and requires less of a mechanical demand. This lead to the decision that treadmill running is a better option for those with weaker joints (me!) and terrain running is better for those with calf of Achilles strains. This result relates to a study conducted by M. Chung in 2009, which concluded that treadmill running reduces the use of quadriceps and hamstrings while running, which means muscle activation is better when running outside.
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Overall there is a lot of information provided on the topic, but I was only able to find few experiments that tested the many theories. The study conducted by the University of Virginia had the same group of twenty runners participate in both treadmill and terrain running. Personally, I would suggest taking a large number of test subjects of varying weights and BMIs and put it to the test, where half of the runners run six days a week on the treadmill and the other half run 6 days a week outside with distance increasing each week. My study would be less focused on running patterns and more focused on physical development and joint strength. The continually updated results would be able to give us a better idea of how each effect physical aspects such as fluctuation in BMI and weight, as well as development of bone and joint strength of deterioration of bone and joint strength. So, although strong arguments have been made I do not have a clear idea on which is better, therefor I will likely keep doing what I’m doing until more research is done on the topic. I might be bored when I’m running, but it certainly gets the mind thinking.
I have read your shared articles on how running on terrain vs. on a treadmill is both very similar, and very different. When I was reading articles to gain further knowledge on my topic, I found that most of the differences that were factors in the decision of what was better or worse had to due with certain parts of the body. The Huffington Post: Science article I shared splits it into categories which in turn results to different outcomes. If you’re interested, I suggest re-reading the article with this in mind, and you can look at those third variables that factor into the decision.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rami-hashish/to-run-outside-or-on-a-treadmill_b_2553448.html
I happen to also be in fear of the freshmen fifteen. So I go to the gym as often as I can and find myself on the treadmill. Even though I ran cross country when I was little, I can not bring myself to run outside. Personally, I think that running outside is much harder, you have to deal with weather, terrain, rocks, cars, and so much more. The only benefit of running outside is the views just like Marks Daily Apple stated. However, when I run in the IM building I have a beautiful view of the stadium and don’t have to worry about being hit by a car or bike. All the studies in your post are interesting, I never knew that if you wanted to develop a running pattern you should run on a treadmill. In addition, I prefer to run inside because I know that the temperature will always be consitent. I found an interesting article about how temperature affects your run. You should read the impact of temperature on pace box, I found it interesting.
http://runneracademy.com/cold-weather-impact-on-running/
For me personally, I believe that running outside is a lot better for my health because on a treadmill I get knee pain. This article shows that knee pain can be a very frequent result from a treadmill. This backs up thoughts on why a treadmill causes me knee pain while running on one. So, I believe that a treadmill is a worse option from personal experience and the article that states it is from the unchanging terrain.
I have been trying to go to the gym as much as possible during the week. Even though I get bored on the treadmill due to the lack of change in scenery, I like how you can have a controlled steady pace. It is also beneficial to join a gym before the weather starts getting cold! In an article I read, it was found that “running outside and running on a treadmill are basically the same at a 1% grade.”
http://runnersconnect.net/running-training-articles/treadmill-vs-running-outside/
Being very into running, this question has popped up in my mind many times. I personally like to run outside more, just because I like a change of scenery and do not feel as isolated if on a treadmill. I feel like this questions though may never have a definite answer. There may be scientific studies to show that treadmill running is better/worse for your body but it really comes down to preference. I think it would be good to have participants in the study not like running at all, no matter where they do it, so they are not boas one way or the other. I agree with your study though and think that could be a very good idea. Here is an article giving the pros and cons of running on a treadmill.
This is a question that I have asked many times. I personally think that when it comes to how in shape you want to be, the treadmill is less effective than outdoor running because like you said, the outdoors gives you natural bumps and hills that make your feet stronger compared to the flat surface of a treadmill. Also I get a lot more bored when I am on a treadmill because my view is not changing. Maybe it is harder to run for longer periods of time on a treadmill because the visual scene is not comparable to the one of outdoor running.
I have heard that running on treadmills is bad for your ankles and knees. This article http://www.livestrong.com/article/535061-risks-to-knees-when-running-on-a-treadmill/ talks about how running on the treadmill could cause shock injuries to your knees, which obviously isn’t good. If you have bad knees, this risk of shock is even higher. Although, this article does provide tips on how to make running on the treadmill safer and how to cause less stress on your body while on the treadmill.