What Is Curved Treadmill And How To Use It？

Countless athletes, both elite and recreational, are now jumping on the curved running bandwagon and this could either be a problem or an important step forward. Curved treadmills are great for those wanting to ditch the pavement or the snow, but they do have shortcomings. Running on a curved treadmill has some benefits that rehabilitation therapists may want to explore, but it also has limitations that must be addressed.

What Is a Curved Treadmill?

A curved treadmill is a non-motorized, concave device that allows users to walk and run on it with each foot strike propelling the belt behind them. The system is designed to exploit the vertical and horizontal contours, pulling the belt down and back from the walking or running stride, thus removing the need for an electric motor—a benefit for those who want to pace themselves naturally. There are a few systems on the market today, as WOODWAY, TrueForm, Technogym, and Assault have curved non-motorized systems available. All of them promise the same thing: a comfortable running experience that exploits a curvilinear leg stroke to hopefully improve the workout.

How Does a Curved Treadmill Work?

The mechanical secret of curved treadmills is a mix of gravity, friction, and exploration of the forces during running. During the downstroke backwards, the foot and weight of the body literally pull the tread down and back, and this happens because of the curved shape of the equipment. The point of contact is significantly ahead of the center of mass; thus, the experience of support is different than with other non-motorized treadmill options, or running on the ground.

A Summary of Pros and Cons

Overall, curved treadmills are useful for getting a workout in, but I don’t know whether they are appropriate for rehabilitation or elite training. The differences in kinetics and kinematics remind me of resisted sleds, as the changes or possible negative motor skill influences might be mitigated with the development of power, so it’s hard to say that running on it in small doses is a problem. For the average Joe, conditioning is not something I would worry about. Anything that can deliver a safe and effective way to challenge the body to me is good progress.

Pros for Curved Treadmill Running

The cost of a curved treadmill makes it an interesting option for those who want to get a great workout done in less time, and provide a specific resisted running option for the masses. Curved treadmills allow for self-pacing and possible anaerobic testing alternatives to Wingate assessments.

Cons for Curved Treadmill Running

Based on the limitations of curved running, the equipment is a tempo replacement or alternative running option if an athlete needs a different modality than conventional running. Curved treadmills don’t provide the vertical force oscillation necessary to help with replicating maximal speed development, and can’t provide acceleration postures necessary for short sprinting.

You will have to decide if curved treadmills are a good choice for your situation. I am convinced that they have great value for the general fitness population, and are an interesting option for recreational runners, a creative interval option for performance running, and a possible benefit to sprinters in some circumstances. It will take a few mores studies for the science to catch up to the technology, but curved treadmills are popular and their use is growing.