I read the most interesting story the other day about a curious treadmill that was conceived of by a NASA scientist. The scientist actually thought of the theory behind it, and his son ended up running with the opposite idea, which was to take gravity away, so patients of traumatic injuries can learn to walk and run again with no impact on their joints, which may make it one of the best treadmills for running.

The first one thought of at NASA, was a treadmill that actually created a gravity-like environment. It was created originally so that astronauts wouldn’t lose bone density while in space from being in zero gravity all the time. The AlterG does the opposite, it creates an environment around the legs that is almost (or maybe it actually is) zero gravity.

This could be a major boon for those that have had really traumatic injuries that have had to go through tough and often agonizing physical therapy to regain their movement, as it would take away a lot of the pain and discomfort that unfortunately goes along with rehabilitation. The whole reason that running can be so tough on your body is because of gravity.

When you run, the impact of your foot hitting the ground causes your body to absorb the shock induced, and this can lead to injury if you’re not wearing the best running shoes possible and practicing the safest style of running. Running on rubberized tracks is great, if you have one near you, since it cushions a lot of the blow your joints and feet feel.

Unfortunately we probably can’t all afford the AlterG treadmill, which is only in circulation in small numbers right now, so the next best thing is making sure you have the best possible shoes to run in and that you also replace them at least once a year, if not more if you’re an avid runner.

Another awesome use for this high tech treadmill is for use with Parkinsons patients, who have no fear of falling in this thing since it holds you up, it truly could be a huge advance for physical therapies in so many different situations.

We have a new informational page on how to find the best treadmills for running that you should definitely check out if you’re in the market or are going to be in the market for a treadmill for runners any time soon .There are some special considerations when buying a treadmill for running that those who use them primarily for walking don’t need to worry about as much.

Running can be hard on your joints, and it can also be hard to run on a treadmill that isn’t built right for high impact running. So read our new page on the best treadmills for running – it’ll help you to

In fitness cardio workout is an important key element. There is no sport or activity that does not require the need of a cardio workout. Most common of all cardio exercises is running which provides the body with improved blood circulation, trained breathing lungs and stronger muscle.

Now, not every small town or city has the terrain good running mileage. Running can be quite boring when you run in circles on a football court. Interesting form of running is from one place to another without the need to make circles.

To compensate on running when the weather is not on your side, there are fitness equipment that gives the same exercise results as running in the comfort of your own home; The Treadmill and an Elliptical fitness machine.

What is the difference? First of all, lets make a note that both of the machines are perfect for fitness exercising, They both are able to make the body sweat as if you are running in the park. Sweating means that body workout is ‘on the right track’; blood circulation speeds up, lungs are practiced for better breathing, normalizing heart rate, and etc.

The difference is obvious: Elliptical fitness machines lynch the pain in your joints and ankles that you probably get while running. When on a treadmill, and when running classical style, knees and joints are experiencing impact every time the foot touches the ground. These impacts are quite small in the beginning, but after 10 minutes of running they seriously affect the stamina of your body.

Elliptical machines don’t make this kind of problem. They are designed to rotate the legs in the same manner as when running, without a foot impact on the ground. The feet remain stationary positioned on the pedals and make elliptical rotations.

Balance on the elliptical machine is maintained with two handles for the hands that move forward and backwards along with the movement of the legs. This is the difference between the elliptical machine and the treadmill; the elliptical machine includes the hands in the workout, while in running hands have no role.

But a good thing about a treadmill is that there is an option on it allowing you to lift the treadmill a little higher; simulating running uphill. This type of running is advanced in character and puts more pressure on the thigh muscles giving it more power.

The choice on which machine is better varies from athlete to athlete. Treadmills gives more strength and is much more challenging with the cost of joint pains; the elliptical machine is more for cardio workout excluding any pain in the joints or knees.

My boyfriend recently got a pedometer from the health program where he works, and boy, you really start to realize it if you move too little on certain days. It really hits you that, yes, you barely moved today or were a couch potato, when you have a little tool you can check at the end of the day as proof of your immobility. It is really mostly a wake up call that if you are not moving around and walking enough, you are really in for a hard, long road when it comes to your health over the years.

Walking is still so vital to our well being. Walking is what were were meant to do. We, as humans, were not meant to be sedentary beings. That is why we started walking upright in the first place – we were meant to primarily be active throughout the whole day, and the reason for the explosion in obesity and disease if often linked to the fact that we have lost sight of our natural inclination to get up and MOVE throughout the day.

It really hit home with me that I feel so much more invigorated after I move all day than I do if all I did was sit in my desk chair at my office all day. My boyfriend and I recently stayed at a hotel in Columbus Ohio and there was a skywalk where you had to walk a couple blocks to your hotel. For people who are used to mostly walking on our Horizon treadmills, walking out in the cold can be a challenge!

At first, as is human nature, we scoffed at the fact that we had to walk so far just for free parking to save a few bucks all the days we stayed there, but then I found that after a primarily sedentary weekend, I actually looked forward to our walks to the car. The fact that it was brisk and chilly in the tunnels made it even more invigorating. Sometimes when the air is chilly it really wakes you up a little, makes you feel a bit more alive for lack of a better description.

Walking is what keeps us in shape – it’s what keeps us, well, walking for many more years to come in this world. Usually people that have a hard time getting around earlier in life rather than later were not active enough in their youth, and they are paying for it when they are elderly even more so than they would if they had normally active lives. It doesn’t ever pay to be a couch potato, so we all must commit to walking more, every day, for this new year. Deal??

Yep, and what I mean by “workstation” is exactly as it sounds. People may now be able to get a workout in on a treadmill-type device that can be set up in their workstations (ie cubes) while they work, and actually walk instead of sit or stand all day. Wow. This could potentially be one of the coolest pieces of news I’ve heard in a while regarding the American way of sedentary lifestyles and ever expanding waistlines!

The actual workstation is all one piece, or at least it appears so by the pictures I’ve seen. It is made of stainless steel or some type of metal, and it just acts as a user interface that is almost like your console on the treadmill. So, you’re standing and working as you’re walking. Wonder if you can still concentrate while walking?

I think I would be able to, because I do read while walking and doing the elliptical right now when I’m at the gym. I do notice it’s a little harder to focus on what you’re actually reading, but I’m sure that if I was doing more of a leisurely gait it would work better, since I tend to really push it on the elliptical. Turns out, the workstation treadmill only has a max speed of three and half miles per hour, while traditional treadmills can go up to ten miles per hour, so they understand that people won’t be running while focusing on work.

I also wondered how this new treadmill workstation would work when you actually want to sit down. I guess you can just grab a chair and lower your workstation piece when that is the case. These new unites don’t come cheap though. They’ll cost about four thousand bucks a pop, and they’ll go on sale mid November. Hmm. Wonder if I can talk my employer into buying these babies?

I thought this was a very cool concept when I read about it. It’s a new treadmill-like machine that is slightly modified that can be found in high tech rehabilitation centers that helps stroke victims and others with brain injuries that has impaired their motor functions for things like, say, walking, by helping to stimulate the part of the brain that is responsible for movement and coordination.

How does it do this? Well the traditional treadmill that I’m sure you’ve all used at least once in your life if you find yourself reading this blog, works by having one uniform pad that moves constantly, and mimics the movements that one makes when they are walking by providing a moving platform that allows them to move without actually going anywhere. Wow, that sounds ridiculous in concept when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?

Here’s how this modified treadmill works for rehabilitation. The belt is actually split in two, so each of your feet is forced to walk at different speeds. The additional brain stimulation that it takes for you to actually not fall down and coordinate each of your feet so you stay at an even pace is what helps to rehabilitate that mind and rebuild coordination in those that have had brain damage that otherwise would not allow them to walk, move, or coordinated to do certain movements correctly.

I saw a picture of the treadmill, and it looks like exactly what it is explained as : a treadmill like the Proform treadmill or Horizon treadmill would look in your gym, but only with two separate smaller belts, instead of one bigger, wider belt. I don’t even know if I could do this properly, not having any type of brain injury, so I don’t envy those that have to try this without falling.

Supposedly there are separate nerve pathways that operate each leg, so the thought process is that if each leg can be forced to walk normally, this can help rehabilitate the patient’s walking patterns without them lurching backwards and forwards, as is common in those with brain injuries. The challenge for them is that they have to figure out how to get patients to keep walking normally after they do not have access to the special treadmill any more.

Hopefully they can figure this out, because this machine seems nothing short of ingenious for those that cannot walk and perform motor functions, something that would be beyond frustrating to anyone I’m sure.