The Nuance
Elliptical Trainers Are Not Total B.S.
Long live the cardio staple
Every week, the Nuance will go beyond the basics, offering a deep and researched look at the latest science and expert insights on a buzzed-about health topic.
Since they first hit the scene in the 1990s, elliptical trainers have remained popular among gym-goers and home-exercise enthusiasts. For the uninitiated, the elliptical may seem like the lazy person’s treadmill. But for regular users, the appeal of these machines is obvious: Running can be rough on a person’s joints, but elliptical machines appear to be a gentler, lower-impact, but still vigorous form of aerobic training.
Experts say there’s good reason to believe the hype.
“The movement path that your legs go through on the elliptical trainer produces less stress on the joints than running or jogging,” says Edward Laskowski, MD, co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. For people with arthritis, sports injuries, or any other joint issues that make running painful or difficult, ellipticals allow them to “exercise longer and more pain-free than higher-impact exercises,” he adds. Compared to running, the elliptical also places less stress on muscles and tendons, Laskowski says.
