If your doctor or physical therapist has recommended walking on a treadmill, you should take his advice. Therapy on a treadmill is an effective way to combat a wide variety of health problems, from minor injuries to more serious or chronic issues. However, you need to keep some specific recommendations in mind.
Minor Injury Recovery
Treadmill therapy is an effective form of physical therapy for minor injuries, especially those that affect the legs. For example, knee sprains, injuries caused by stretching or tearing of the ligaments around the knee, often leave the knee stiff and weak. A physical therapist may recommend using a treadmill to help your knee regain flexibility and strength, according to MedlinePlus.
Severe Injury Recovery
Treadmills can also be used to assist in recovery from serious injuries or health conditions. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), walking on a treadmill can help stroke victims by actually rewiring the parts of the brain responsible for coordination and balance. This helps compensate for stroke damage. Experts aren't yet sure exactly how this works, but the AHA suggests that walking a treadmill helps improve blood flow to the brain, helping it to heal.
Management of Chronic Conditions
You don't have to have suffered an injury to benefit from treadmill therapy. Therapy on a treadmill can also help manage chronic conditions and relieve pain. For example, Arthritis Today recommends walking on a treadmill to those who suffer from various types of arthritis, since it boosts blood flow and thus decreases pain. Also, the Columbia University's Go Ask Alice Health Service recommends treadmills to those who suffer from ankle or knee pain, because they offer a softer walking surface than pavement.
Considerations
As good as treadmill therapy can be, it isn't something you should do on your own. Recovery from injuries or management of chronic health conditions usually requires skilled medical oversight. Make sure you get your doctor's OK before beginning any exercise program, pay attention to your body, and stop if something hurts. Physical therapy can be challenging, but it shouldn't be painful.
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