Okay here goes nothing! I see that the gym equipment thread is a little dormant, but this is the forum my wife said I could try and solicit advice from (she doesn't want me to become a "gym bro," and she only trusts me to not become that guy here after she got good tips from here) so here I am.

So I'm needing to get a jump on my new years resolution now that it's...ya know... February... So the thing is my wife is an active outdoor runner and I don't want to put on a show that people can laugh at. I'm 6'1" 240lbs and well aware that I need a little more cardio in my life. We are looking to throw our tax return this year at a treadmill for use to run indoors. The wife will be happy with it for winter times, but I'm looking to make it my primary use machine for cardio (cause workouts are easiest when I can also binge some more HIMYM for the 4th time). So here is the question, while going through reviews I saw one for a NordicTrack 1750 treadmill that talks about how you can adjust the softness to be 30% softer than normal running.

I'm wondering if this is makes it easier on joints? I have a bad knee from sports when I was in high school and if that makes it less stressful on my knee than I'll be happy, but I'm wondering if anybody has experience with that kind of adjustment option on a treadmill.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Hi! Welcome to 3FatChicks. I have used a treadmill for years, but for walking, not running. If it's going to be used for running you need to make sure you buy one that is made for running. It will be much more costly, but if your wife is used to outdoor running she will not be happy with the ones made for walking. I suggest she go to a store than sells them and try out the displays.

Also, if you have a knee problem, I don't think a treadmill is going to work for you long term. I really don't know much about the softness feature. For those will a knee problem I recommend a good Elliptical Trainer. It can give the effect of running, but without the constant pounding that irritates the knees. Once again, I recommend trying one out in person before buying. It should have an adjustable stride since more than one person will be using it.

Continue to do your research to be sure you're investing your money in something that will be useful for years to come. Good luck to you!

Tanks for the reply, Carol! I'll consider trying an elliptical trainer again. I just had a bad experience the last couple of times I was on one. My knee seemed to buckle in a weird way and I ended up hyper-extending it. At first I thought I was just going to hard on the resistance of it, but I did it again when I had no resistance. Maybe 15 minutes is just my limit on those machines. As an avid elliptical user have you had any hyper-extension issues?

OMG I had the same issue with my knee. I thought it was only me who faced issues when using an elliptical trainer.

I had issues with my hip and ankle on one side when I started using a treadmill. For me getting really thick, hard soled shoe inserts (and even shoes 1/2 size up to accommodate them) helped a lot. Hard sole sounds like the opposite of what you want, but it helps transfer energy throughout your foot fall. It's only rigid under the center of the foot.

I also used an elastic/foam ankle brace I got off amazon, and wore that until the problem went away. Maybe a knee brace could help? Can't say if that'll do the trick for you, but definitely wouldn't hurt. Just want to reduce any twisting motion.

Also being aware of your current volume of walking/running and increasing slowly! Your bones, ligaments and tendons recover like muscles do, but very very slowly. I totally stopped running and just walked until the pain had gone away.

I had similar issues and can vouch for thick, hard-soled inserts making a huge difference, just like you mentioned. I also switched to roadrunner sports shoes, which provided fantastic support. Their fit and cushioning really helped with my ankle and hip pain. Slowly increasing activity plays a great role too.