What Is a Discectomy?
If you have a damaged disc in your spine, it may heal by itself with time and appropriate care. If not, a discectomy may be required to relieve nerve pain in your spine. Here’s what you need to know.
Will Using a Treadmill Ruin My Joints?
One of the biggest challenges sufferers of joint pain face is how to get consistent exercise that is low impact and adaptable enough to meet the needs of each day. Treadmills can be ideal for this purpose, but are they really safe for your joints?
Ajay Kumar, MD, and our team at New Jersey Advanced Pain Management Center provide nonsurgical and surgical methods of pain management for conditions that cause joint pain, such as arthritis. If you’re trying to protect your joints, you may be wondering what forms of exercise are safe. Here’s what Dr. Kumar wants you to know about using a treadmill.
Walking outdoors vs. using a treadmill
The good news is that treadmills are generally as safe for your joints as outdoor exercise settings. The type of risk is different, but the level of risk is about the same. Likewise, the benefits of treadmill movement are equal to those of outdoor movement for most people.
Outdoor exercise
Working out outside can mean enjoyment of nature and the chance to interact with other people. However, outdoor terrain can be harder or more uneven than a treadmill, and inclement weather can make it difficult to keep a consistent routine. Additionally, there may not be a safe place to exercise outdoors near to where you live.
Treadmill exercise
A treadmill can provide a slightly softer, lower-impact, and more even path to run on. Some people find treadmills boring, but if you listen to music or watch a TV show or movie while you walk, jog, or run, it can help you stay engaged — you can even use programs that simulate being on a hiking trail.
Benefits of treadmill use
If you’re trying to avoid joint pain or hope to alleviate it, a treadmill can be the perfect way for you to get your exercise in at a level that meets needs that change from day to day. If you have arthritis, for example, you may find that you have knee pain that flares and ebbs.
A treadmill can be beneficial as it allows you to exercise exactly the amount you can handle each day, at the level you can achieve at that time. You can customize your speed and incline. You can exercise for five minutes, take a rest, then exercise for 10 more.
Examples of treadmill use for aging joints
As you get older, getting exercise that takes into account your joint health is extremely important.
Knees
If you have knee pain, a treadmill can be invaluable in getting you moving at your own speed. Choose a treadmill with a cushioned walking belt for lessened impact in your joints, and set it at a very slight incline.
Hips
One small study of women over age 60 with hip osteoarthritis found that the participants were able to walk faster and exercise more effectively on a treadmill than outdoors.
Ankles
Another study of older adults who had a stroke showed that their ankle strength improved as did their ability to climb stairs after treadmill training.
Treadmills can be beneficial for joint health
You can be fairly confident that treadmills do not, in fact, ruin joints — rather, they can improve joint health in multiple ways. When it comes down to it, if a treadmill helps you get a workout without causing additional pain, go for it.
If you have additional questions about treadmill training, about how to improve your joint health, or about arthritis, knee pain, or other joint pain, contact New Jersey Advanced Pain Management — we’re located in Hackettstown, New Jersey, and Matamoras, Pennsylvania — or book an appointment online today.
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