Treadmill sales reached $3 billion in 2008, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. If you are interested in reaping the benefits of a treadmill workout, one of your first decisions will be whether to buy a manual or motorized treadmill. The manual and motorized types have positive and negative qualities in terms of ease of use, cost, size and safety.
General Benefits of Treadmills
Walking has been widely recognized as a beneficial cardiovascular exercise, but treadmill exercise has particular benefits. You can maintain a more consistent workout routine regardless of weather or scheduling issues. A good treadmill provides a softer surface for walking or running that is easier on your joints. A 2009 study published in the American Heart Association Journal, Stroke, even showed that treadmill training increased speed and endurance in post-stroke patients.
Ease of Use
A motorized treadmill is easier to get moving; you simply turn it on start your workout. You might need to program things like speed or degree of incline, and if you are not a person who handles technology with ease, this could present a challenge. You provide the sole power for a manual treadmill, so getting the belt moving can be a challenge. If you want to change the incline, you must stop, dismount and resent the level by hand.
Cost
In 2009, the National Sporting Goods Association reported that the average cost for motorized treadmills was $677, an increase of 6.5 percent from the 2005 figures. The Consumer Search website ranks manual treadmills, "At the very bottom of the price spectrum -- from about $100 to $200." The huge price difference makes manual treadmills attractive, but it is difficult to research their quality because many independent review sites do not bother to rate them.
Size and Weight Considerations
If you have little space for exercise equipment, manual treadmills generally take up less room. They lack bulky motors and most times fold up for storage. Motorized treadmills, even those that fold away, require more floor area to accommodate their internal mechanisms. The motors add weight, which you might want to consider if need to move it to do your workouts. Motorized treadmills support more weight and longer strides as well.
Safety
The Australian Monash University studied treadmill injuries between the years 2002-2007, finding that 60 percent of the damage occurred in children younger than the age of 14. Overall, the injuries resulted from falls or collisions with the machine causing burns and abrasions among other injuries. Motorized treadmills pose a greater hazard than manual treadmills because the latter require no special safety keys and will stop when you stop.
References
- National Sporting Goods Association: 2008 Sporting Goods Sales Reach $53.4 Billion; May 2009
- National Sporting Goods Association: 2009-2005 Sports Equipment by Average Price
- Consumer Search: CheapTreadmills: Not Worth It; October 2009
- Monash University Accident Research Centre: Treadmill-Related Injury (All Ages); July 2008
- American Heart Association: "Stroke"; Christian Enzinger, MD, et. al.; May 21, 2009
Member Comments