Treadmills and elliptical walkers -- also known as elliptical machines or simply ellipticals -- both offer options for indoor exercise. Both are effective for providing a safe and measured or monitored means of cardiovascular exercise, although the actions and impact of each machine are different. When considering a new exercise regimen, consult your doctor for medical advice before getting started.
Impact
An elliptical machine is designed to cause less impact to your joints than running on a treadmill. In particular, using an elliptical machine causes less stress to your knees, back and hips than running on a treadmill. However, when a treadmill is used for walking, it is not any more stressful on your body than an elliptical. The impact levels associated with each piece of equipment will depend how you use them in your workouts.
Flexibility
You may find a treadmill is more flexible than an elliptical with regard to your height and stride length. The footplates of an elliptical machine tend to be at a fixed stride length which may be uncomfortable if you are on the shorter side of average. On a treadmill, you can take any length of stride you wish, as long as you remain on the treadmill belt. Elliptical machines offer greater flexibility in terms of working out different muscle groups, as you can use a treadmill going forward or in reverse.
Calories Burned
The number of calories you burn on an elliptical or a treadmill will depend on a number of variables, including your weight, fitness, and the speed and intensity with which you use the machine. Therefore, in certain circumstances you may burn more calories on the elliptical; in others you may burn more on the treadmill. An average calorie burn for a 150-lb. woman would be 340 calories in 30 minutes of moderate-level elliptical workout. The same woman would burn roughly 273 calories running on a treadmill for 30 minutes at 5 mph, but 545 calories running for 30 minutes at 10 mph.
Training
Both ellipticals and treadmills commonly have a display that tells you how many miles you have gone and how many calories you have burned in your workout. This can be helpful as a motivational tool and to gauge the intensity of each workout. However, if you are training for a race -- a triathlon or marathon, for example -- the treadmill will be much more realistic in training than an elliptical. The arm-operated poles attached to an elliptical do allow you to cross-train for sports such as cross-country skiing, however.
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