When running on a treadmill, I believe you should keep the incline set to at least one percent. The added incline helps make up for the lack of environmental resistance indoors, such as wind, making your workout a little tougher. Another reason to set your treadmill incline to at least one percent is to avoid every runner's nemesis, shin splints. Running downhill can create shin splints due to the extra stress placed on the shin bone. A zero incline on a treadmill can mimic a slight downgrade; a negative incline, if you will. To avoid this problem, run with at least some incline when on a treadmill.
Fit's Tip: If you have recently increased your mileage on a treadmill, say because of the shortened days due to the seasons changing, be careful. A treadmill surface is constantly the same whereas roads and trails vary, even when they are flat. On a treadmill every stride is the same, which can lead to overuse/repetitive injuries like shin splints.
Sephora
Eric Van Peterson
Missoni
i HAAAAATE shin splints!!! argh!!! they always bother me on the first mile. thanks for the suggestion!
1TRUE!
2This is so good to know!! Great post! I couldn't figure out how I was getting shin splints from running on the treadmill, which is cushioned, and not from running outside on pavement! Now I know better and I enjoy running outside more.
3This is really good to know. Thanks fit!
4Question, do shin splits go into the lower/inner back part of your leg/ankle. Since I started running on the treadmill, this seems to be happening to a lot. It gets all swollen and sometimes a little bruised. Plus, I stretch before and after and nothing really helps. Maybe this will... I hope so!
5In my opinion, the two worst pains ever (now granted, I haven't given birth...) are shin splints and charley horses. Ugh.
6I am in the military and my shin splints really do not start to bother me until I start to run for really long time and that is when it hurts the most.
7Good tip! Question: I am a very new runner and I never stretch. Can you do a post on what stretches I should be doing for a 2-mile 4.5 -5 MPH run? Or is there a good website? thanks!
8you know, this is something that i never really thought about. i think that we typically think that a 'flat road' is really flat so that when we're at the gym, it's kind of the same thing, but you're right - it's not. i'm going to remember this if i choose to run on the treadmill anytime soon.
9um YEAH people don't believe me when i try to set their treadmill at a level 2 incline and they think i'm trying to make them 'work harder' (god forbid) but it doesn't just prevent shin splints but also...for people who don't know how to run...it silences the foot pounding!
10interesting. i have actually found just the reverse to be true. the high the incline, the more likely i am to get shin splints. why would that be???
11Ohh, good to know. I tend to get shin splints when running on hills, so I have avoided treadmill incline, but it sounds like i should try a little.
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