Comparison of the Treadmill vs. the Elliptical for the Morbidly Obese
Beginning an exercise regime is often much more difficult for the morbidly obese, who can be 100 or more pounds heavier than their ideal weight. In addition to emotional challenges, such as fear of failure, a person who is extremely obese may have a lower aerobic capacity and may be more prone to injury or joint pain. While the treadmill and the elliptical can both be useful equipment for the obese, it's important to consider the features and capacities of particular models. The morbidly obese should consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime.
For the morbidly obese, the weight capacity of exercise equipment is an important safety factor. Not all ellipticals and treadmills are built to hold a lot of weight. Machines at the gym tend to be larger, heavier models that have a higher weight capacity. Inexpensive at-home equipment, particularly ellipticals, as well as space-saving fold-up models, may have a lower weight limit. As an example, the high-end Smooth 9.35 Treadmill costs over $1,500 and has a weight capacity of 400 lbs. The high-end Nautilus E514 Elliptical Trainer costs about $1,000 and has a weight capacity of 300 pounds. In general, treadmills hold more weight than ellipticals.
Ellipticals are famous for being low-impact, an important consideration for the morbidly obese who may be more prone to joint pain due to the extra weight they carry. But it's important to remember that treadmills, when compared with walking or running on asphalt, are also low-impact. Many morbidly obese people have a lower aerobic capacity, and therefore will restrict workouts to walking. Walking is already a much lower-impact activity than running, so the impact on joints may not be all that different between machines.
Most treadmills and some ellipticals (generally higher-end models) have pre-installed workout programs that could make sticking to an exercise plan easier. Treadmills almost always have an "incline" feature. Some studies suggest that for the obese, increasing the incline is a safer way to make a workout more difficult than increasing speed. Increasing the incline gives the user aerobic benefits but doesn't put additional strain on the joints. A comparable function on an elliptical machine is an adjustable tension or resistance level, but not all ellipticals have this feature. Increasing tension or incline also puts less stress on the machine itself.
Auxiliary Features & Access
Different treadmill and elliptical models have different auxiliary features. Many ellipticals have moving poles for the arms that, when used correctly, can help users work out not just their legs, but their arms as well. Some treadmills have sidebars that can give an exerciser additional support when they are just starting out. Finally, the most important factor in choosing between an elliptical and a treadmill is simple: access. As long as the model supports the user's weight, any machine and any exercise will be better than no exercise at all.
- Musculoskeletal Network: Treadmill Walking Provides Safe, Effective Exercise for Obese Adults
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Energetics and Biomechanics of Inclined Treadmill Walking in Obese Adults.
- Why Be Obese: Best Exercise Equipment for the Obese
- University of Rochester Medical Center: What is Morbid Obesity?
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