1. /home/pptfactory/temp/20100509001410/treadmill-usagedoc1994.doc -1-
A treadmill is a piece of indoor sporting equipment used to allow for the motions of running or walking while
staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or
animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain (see treadwheel.)
The principle is a belt system (an electric motor or flywheel connected to a circular run of material) where the
top of the belt moves to the rear so as to allow a runner to run an equal, and necessarily opposite speed. Thus
the speed of the run can easily be set or measured (the rate at which the belt moves is the rate at which the
runner moves). The more expensive, heavy-duty versions are motor-driven. The simpler, lighter, cheaper
versions are passive, moving only when the walker pushes the belt with their feet, and operates just to resist the
motion.
Origins
Treadmills were historically used as a method of reforming offenders in prison, an innovation introduced by Sir
William Cubitt in 1817.[1]; these were also termed treadwheels. The first private health club in the U.S. was
started by Professor Louis Attila in 1894. Cardio workout machines entered the clubs much later and were
developed initially for the hospital. The first medical treadmill designed to diagnose heart and lung disease was
invented by Dr. Robert Bruce and Wayne Quinton at the University of Washington in 1952. Dr. Kenneth
Cooper's research on the benefits of aerobic exercise, published in 1968, provided a medical argument to
support the commercial development of the home treadmill and exercise bike.
Advantages
As a cardiovascular exercise:
• Running or walking on a treadmill can be an effective way to work out, like other complex
cardiovascular exercises (similar to non-treadmill walking/running). As with all exercise, regular
treadmill use increases endurance.
• Treadmills offer the benefit of reduced impact since all treadmills offer some sort of shock absorption.
Exercising on a treadmill can reduce the strain to the ankles, knees and lower back of users.
As an indoor activity:
• Users who would not run/walk outdoors (e.g. due to unfavourable weather conditions, uneven road
surfaces, dangerous neighbourhoods or unwanted attention) may use an indoor treadmill.
• Users who do not wish to join a gym may use an indoor treadmill at home.
• Users can do other things while exercising, such as watching television or reading.
As a machine:
• Enables exact calculation and adjustment of slope and speed.
• As most of the factors of the activity are known, the energy expended may be calculated.
• Some treadmills have special features such as step count, heart rate monitors, amount of calories
expended.
Disadvantages
• Many users find treadmills boring and lose interest after a period.
• Cost of purchase and electricity to run the treadmill is significantly greater than running outside.
• Takes up space in homes (disadvantage reduced by "folding treadmill" option).
• May cause personal injury if not used properly.
• Can make a loud grinding noise if the belt keeps slipping.
• Lack of wind resistance makes running on a treadmill easier than it would otherwise be on an equal
elevation grade outdoors. Training for outdoor races is complicated due to the subtle differences.
• There is little need to propel yourself on a treadmill, making running easier and therefore not giving you
an accurate representation of running on the ground. This can be a disadvantage when training for
outdoor races.
• Ordinary treadmills, even the expensive models at gyms and clubs, are not usually able to tilt at the steep
slopes used on medical treadmills for standardized stress tests.
• Imposes a strict pace on runners, giving an unnatural feel to running which can cause a runner to lose
balance.

2. /home/pptfactory/temp/20100509001410/treadmill-usagedoc1994.doc -2-
• As with all forms of cardiovascular exercise, the risk of cardiac arrest is significantly increased.
Treadmills may further this risk, as indoor comforts, such as air conditioning, may cause a user to feel
more comfortable and less likely to stop due to exhaustion.
Other uses
As it is basically a conveyor belt, the treadmill can be used for activities other than running. If horses are being
tested (especially in jockey racing) they will be put on a specially constructed treadmill. Large treadmills can
also accommodate cars.
Omnidirectional treadmill
Advanced applications are so called omnidirectional treadmills. They are designed to move in two dimensions
and are intended as the base for a "holodeck". There are several solutions which were proposed and research
continues because some issues remain unsolved until now such as large size, noise and vibration.
An omnidirectional treadmill, or ODT, is a device that allows a person to perform locomotive motion in any
direction. The ability to move in any direction is how these treadmills differ from their basic counterparts (that
only permit unidirectional locomotion). Omnidirectional treadmills are employed in immersive virtual
environment implementations to allow unencumbered movement within the virtual space through user self-
motion.
Advantages to pairing an ODT with an immersive virtual environment include:
• Natural navigational movement of the system user within the enclosure while still providing context
cues which simulate physical traversal through the virtual terrain
• Reverting immersive navigation tasks from hand-based (mouse, joystick) to mentally hard-wired whole
body (leg) based
• Enhancing immersion by providing a whole-body experience that begins at the soles of the feet and ends
at the top of the head
• Facilitating whole-body haptic interaction
Treadmill usage?
When using a treadmill is it best to run with training shoes or barefoot?
Even various shoe manufactures recognize the
benefits of nature’s original design. Some have even developed designs that attempt to simulate being barefoot
to some extent. Of course, anyone who desires to get that barefoot feeling, can simply save their money and just
go barefoot.
Nike Free: Nike researchers developed a training shoe that simulates barefoot running. The Nike Free was born
as a result of researchers watching the Stanford track and field team practice and perform training exercises
barefoot.
Swiss Masai Barefoot Technology: This shoe style provides less support and stabilization, requiring the foot
muscles to work during the act of walking. As a result, the feet become stronger, more developed, and less
prone to aches and pains.
Newton Running: This new shoe’s active membrane retracts as the foot rolls onto its toes requiring the runner to
land on the forefoot or midsole as opposed to heel-first landings. A technique widely used by barefoot runners.
When a barefoot Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the Gold for the marathon at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, the
whole world saw how functional a pair of bare feet can be. In the early 21st century, American Ken Bob Saxton
maintains the Web site runningbarefoot.org, which has inspired
numerous runners around the globe to investigate the
benefits of running without shoes. As of March 2007, Saxton had finished 59 marathons running barefoot. That
is equivalent to running halfway across the United States, roughly the distance from Los Angeles to Kansas
City.

3. /home/pptfactory/temp/20100509001410/treadmill-usagedoc1994.doc -3-
The number of barefoot runners has steadily grown over the past several years. Brett Williams, ran the 2006
Salt Lake City marathon sans shoes. The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets took note of Williams
accomplishment, and ABC News aired a feature on barefoot running in November of that year.
There is more than likely a bit of atrophy in your foot muscles due to the overdependancy of shoes most people
have and for this reason you will experience a little soreness while these muscles become developed. Like
working out any other muscle in your body, start slow and gradually work your way up to longer periods of
barefoot running. In the end your feet and legs will be better conditioned and happier. Good luck.