Comments on: Elliptical vs Treadmill

By: Jonathan Thompson

Jonathan Thompson — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:48:18 +0000

Hey Megan, this type of numbness on the elliptical is usually because your feet are basically stationary for long periods of time and essentially fall asleep. Do what you can to encourage better circulation in your feet: wear loose-fitting shoes and shift your stance periodically. You can also try adjusting the incline of the pedals. In some cases, this can also be a result of inflammation in the nerves or joint capsules so if adjusting your shoes and stance on the elliptical doesn’t help it would be wise to have a doctor check for these conditions. Hope this helps!

By: Megan

Megan — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:17:03 +0000

In the past I’ve been all about the elliptical for my cardio workouts. But in recent times I find that after about 20+ mins on the elliptical the front ends of my feet start getting very tingley and numb. It’s quite an annoyance! I have yet to really figure out why that is happening. Does this happen to anyone else? My remedy so far has just been to simply move on to another cardio aparatus.

By: Jonathan Thompson

Jonathan Thompson — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:18:35 +0000

Hi Lisa, thanks for the excellent question. What’s really interesting, and a bit frustrating, about flat feet is that the condition is slightly different from person to person. Some people can still maintain a normal stride while others tend to pronate, rotating their ankle further outward than is typically the case. If you pronate, which will be evident by increased pain in your lower back, knees and shins then, yes, I recommend avoiding the treadmill. Elliptical machines will probably reduce the risk of pain and/or injury for you by limiting the impact on your feet and effectively taking your stride out of the equation. Just be careful not to over-extend your knees and keep your feet flat on the pedals throughout the motion to avoid putting weight on your toes. It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor also. Thanks again and I hope this helps!

By: Lisa Bennici

Lisa Bennici — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:34:04 +0000

I was told years ago never to use a treadmill because I have flat feet and the stride you use isn’t good for such a condition. I am looking to purchase an elliptical, is there any risk of doing my feet more harm with this kind of equipment?