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Home Treadmills

By: Liz Neporent

  • Speed and elevation controls. Most mills move at speeds ranging from one to ten miles per hour and have a motor rating of at least 1.5 continuous-duty horsepower. They also elevate by pressing a button rather than using a manual crank.
  • Safety features. An emergency stop button and an automatic slow-start speed of one mile per hour or less are a must. A front hand rail is also helpful for maintaining balance and safer than side rails, which may actually disrupt your balance if they impede your arm swing. Consider a machine that requires a security code or special magnet to make it go, especially if you have young children. Some treadmills prevent falls with a sonar sensor that monitors your position on the walking surface and automatically adjusts speed and elevation to keep you in the center of the belt.
  • Shock Absorbers. To reduce impact on your joints, most manufacturers have inserted rubber disks, springs or some other shock-absorbing device underneath the deck. This is a joint-saving idea to be sure, but be careful here: Just as with beds and office chairs, an overly soft surface may actually contribute to joint problems. You should feel like you're floating along with a little extra spring in your step, not like you're bounding along on a trampoline.
  • Perks -- at a Price. Fancy features like a heart rate monitor and built in programs can be very engaging but they quickly pump up the price. At the very least, you'll probably want a control panel with a readout that gives you information on speed, pace, elapsed time, calories burned, and calories burned per hour.

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