Quoting RWB
What about those elliptical machines? You run in place, kind of like a treadmill, but it's more like a stationary bike without a seat.
You can answer your own question probably after I explain. The problem with running on hard surfaces is the shock and jarring of the joints from the weight of your body landing on the hard, fixed surface. Ideally, that shock can be avoided by 'perfect' running, that is the heel of the foot aligning with the hard surface perfectly both in moment and angle so the shock is rolled along the foot as the runner moves forward. Unfortunately, most people can't run that way, resulting the shock of the foot hitting the ground radiating straight (vertically) into joints - heel, knees, hips. Additionally the abrupt G-forces on the spine can cause spinal problems. Not all runners will develop problems, obviously but many definitely do. My knees are damaged from years of running on hard surfaces - high school, college, and 20+ years of Army. You can mitigate the risk significantly by running off hard surfaces: dirt tracks (not baked clay), tracks with shock absorbing material built in (rubber-asphalt mix), cross-country, and so forth. Essentially, anything that lessons the body slamming into the hard surface helps. Also, the better one's technique, potentially the less the damage. (My technique was never very good, admittedly.)
Sorry it's fun still to yank your tail when you say stuff that makes no sense.
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