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This is your number one source of treadmill information. Please browse through the pages, and educate yourself before making that important investment. After all, your health is what matters most and choosing the right treadmill is imperative.
How to Shop for a Treadmill
& What to Look For
Treadmill Cushioning:
Shock Absorption
As a treadmill user, it is very important to look into the shock absorption capabilities of the machine you'll be using. During jogging or running, each time your foot hits the ground, a similar force (much greater than your body's weight) is transmitted back up towards your leg. This force comes from the surface you are running on combined with the type of cushioning the treadmill is equipped with. The specific characteristics of a surface are extremely important to look at when considering injury prevention and rehabilitation. It makes sense that the more force that can be absorbed and kept within a material, the better it will be for your joints in the long run.
Avoid "bouncy" treadmills as they can lead to injuries to the foot, knee, hip and lower back.
Most treadmills will use rubber or springs for shock absorption. If they are using springs, then avoid these treadmills altogether. Springs are exactly what they claim, they absorb the impact and then release or "spring" the energy back to the user. The negative return energy is amplified through the springs back to the users' joints. Some treadmills use rubber in one spot of the treadmill. The most advanced and preferred way of cushioning is to incorporate variable durometer elastomers. This type usually has stiff rubber at the back much softer rubber at the front. The basic idea behind this is that the user will have a solid push off at the back of the deck and a nice cushiony pad at the front.
A word of advice: replace the rubber cushioning elastomers once every five years. Rubber tends to dry out and we therefore recommend the change. The bottom line is that if you are intending on spending a lot of time on a treadmill, shock absorption is a very important thing to keep in mind if you are at all interested in preventing injury.
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