Advice for treadmill use?
Jan. 20th, 2019 11:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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bodies_in_motion.
*waves* Hi. I forgot about this comm until I saw Rydra's post, then realized maybe someone here can help me.
Long story short -- I'm spending week-on week-off between my dad's town and my town. My dad's town has a good indoor community pool, which is reserved for lap-swimming 3 evenings per week. Since June, I've improved my time for 50 laps (.77 mile) from 66 minutes to 54 minutes, 10 seconds. \o/ So I do an extra 5 laps, for a total time of 59 minutes 50 seconds. (I'm slow, but I keep going and going and going...)
I don't have that opportunity in my town, so this week I finally decided to start making use of my treadmill that's been gathering dust for lo, these many years. I managed a decent pace -- 2 miles per hour -- for 35 minutes.
BUT!
When I see people using treadmills in TV commercials, they're walking upright, without holding on to the machine. I can't manage that. What happens is...
a. I have to hold on to the side bars. But I'm short-armed and short-legged. If I hold on to the side bars and keep my body upright, I'm so close to the front of the machine I'm afraid my foot will hit the machine floor in front of the belt, which would cause stumbling. Therefore...
b. I walk with my feet a little back and a slight lean forward, which isn't great for my lower back. Also...
c. Every once in a while, my foot seems to "stutter". I'm not really sure what's happening; I miss a step, or my foot comes down too hard, it catches the belt, which causes a slight pause/jerk in the belt movement, which causes an almost-stumble. This happens 4 or 5 times during the session, which makes me less inclined to let go of the side bars (in section a). The frequency decreases as the session progresses -- I guess my rhythm is staying more consistent -- but never completely goes away.
I've dug out an old, thick, dowel-rod. Tomorrow I'll tape it securely to the most forward part of the curve of the side bars. This will allow me to bring my arms into a more natural width for me (the side bars are way too wide for comfort). It will also decrease my sweaty hands trying to slip off the side bars (wood is much better for friction), and will change my grip to overhand (palms down) instead of sideways (palms inward). I'm hoping that this will get me enough farther away from the front of the machine that I can maintain a more normal, upright walking stance.
Is there anything else you can think of to help me use this treadmill properly? (By which I mean, with a normal walking carriage.) And does anyone have an idea what's happening with my foot-belt-catch stumbles, and how I can avoid them?
Thanks for reading this far. I really appreciate any ideas you can offer.
.
*waves* Hi. I forgot about this comm until I saw Rydra's post, then realized maybe someone here can help me.
Long story short -- I'm spending week-on week-off between my dad's town and my town. My dad's town has a good indoor community pool, which is reserved for lap-swimming 3 evenings per week. Since June, I've improved my time for 50 laps (.77 mile) from 66 minutes to 54 minutes, 10 seconds. \o/ So I do an extra 5 laps, for a total time of 59 minutes 50 seconds. (I'm slow, but I keep going and going and going...)
I don't have that opportunity in my town, so this week I finally decided to start making use of my treadmill that's been gathering dust for lo, these many years. I managed a decent pace -- 2 miles per hour -- for 35 minutes.
BUT!
When I see people using treadmills in TV commercials, they're walking upright, without holding on to the machine. I can't manage that. What happens is...
a. I have to hold on to the side bars. But I'm short-armed and short-legged. If I hold on to the side bars and keep my body upright, I'm so close to the front of the machine I'm afraid my foot will hit the machine floor in front of the belt, which would cause stumbling. Therefore...
b. I walk with my feet a little back and a slight lean forward, which isn't great for my lower back. Also...
c. Every once in a while, my foot seems to "stutter". I'm not really sure what's happening; I miss a step, or my foot comes down too hard, it catches the belt, which causes a slight pause/jerk in the belt movement, which causes an almost-stumble. This happens 4 or 5 times during the session, which makes me less inclined to let go of the side bars (in section a). The frequency decreases as the session progresses -- I guess my rhythm is staying more consistent -- but never completely goes away.
I've dug out an old, thick, dowel-rod. Tomorrow I'll tape it securely to the most forward part of the curve of the side bars. This will allow me to bring my arms into a more natural width for me (the side bars are way too wide for comfort). It will also decrease my sweaty hands trying to slip off the side bars (wood is much better for friction), and will change my grip to overhand (palms down) instead of sideways (palms inward). I'm hoping that this will get me enough farther away from the front of the machine that I can maintain a more normal, upright walking stance.
Is there anything else you can think of to help me use this treadmill properly? (By which I mean, with a normal walking carriage.) And does anyone have an idea what's happening with my foot-belt-catch stumbles, and how I can avoid them?
Thanks for reading this far. I really appreciate any ideas you can offer.
.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-21 07:26 pm (UTC)I've found treadmills to just be hell on my back to the extent that I don't use them anymore, but I also have a lot of muscle deterioration in my core because I have shortened tendons in my ankle that makes me walk like a toddler in high heels.
So I can confirm that most back and especially lower back/hip pain in regards to treadmills comes from having under-developed muscles in that area that are being pushed past their limits, which is making the larger and more developed muscles overcompensate.
So, I second all of these suggestions. Check the belt tightness, keep a close eye on your posture, and go slow until it stops hurting.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-27 02:22 am (UTC)Thanks for your input. I couldn't find an adjustment hole/screw/knob, but I'll check when I get home from my dad's place. I actually am accustomed to quite a bit of walking -- long school hallways, and I'm a country girl, going out to take care of the animals. But using the dowel rod for better arm/hand placement and slowing down slightly did improve my posture and I had no pain during my second sessions. I appreciate your advice.
.