Staying Fit During the Winter: Try the Treadmill!

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Trying to stay fit during the winter doldrums can be difficult for anyone. Less daylight and cold weather can draw even the best-intentioned runner back inside or back to the couch! Enter the treadmill.

The treadmill is a great way to exercise and is convenient being used in a gym or the comfort of your own home. You can tailor your workout on a treadmill to challenge yourself such as adding an incline to burn more calories and increase muscle toning.

Regular cardiovascular exercise decreases your risk of heart disease or stroke and helps keep cholesterol levels where they need to be. Running outside may be your first choice and many see the treadmill as a “second-rate” option but it still provides many benefits for your health.

Dr. Tina Boucher, foot and ankle specialist in Meriden, CT treats many runners with a variety of foot and ankle problems. Feet and ankles take a serious beating from the stress of pounding hard surfaces on a consistent basis. An advantage of the treadmill is the belt you run on provides a softer surface that absorbs some of the stress from your feet. This can help prevent some of the foot and ankle injuries often seen with runners. 

An important thing to discuss though is whether your running is to train specifically for a race. A treadmill assists a runner a bit so you won’t get an accurate pace as if you were running outside. Feet and ankles are also conditioned differently when running outside which helps for a race.

If you are questioning your foot health or have pain after running, have it treated at our podiatric office as soon as possible. Call Dr. Boucher at (203) 238-3668 to schedule an appointment or visit us at www.centralctfootcare.com.

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