Is running in place effective as running on a treadmill ?

Running on a treadmill is more challenging because you can increase the incline.

It's not the same thing, you do not get much benefit from running in place.

It depends on what your goals are. 

As "." said, running in place works your muscles differently than running. This applies to ligaments and tendons, too. 

If your goal is to be competitive in races, a season of running in place can leave you unprepared for racing.

But, if your goal is cardio/pulmonary/vascular health, running in place is one of several exercises you can do. My guess is one would be as effective as the other if the intensity (effort) and duration are comparable.

If you are a runner, but don't have a treadmill, running in place is a good exercise on days where you can't run outdoors. You might not be able to run outdoors because of icy surfaces or dangerous winds.

When record setting ultramarathon runner Arthur Newton couldn't run outdoors, he ran in place with high knee lifts. 

Running is very beneficial for health. Running outside is more useful than running on a treadmill. The reasons are the following

.1. Treadmill running results in smaller stress on joints.2. Outside running is more intense and likely to yield desired results.

No, as different muscle are used. Running in place is not the same as propelling yourself forward (the 2 activities don't use all the same muscles or use them in the same way), but there are benefits. The article below talks more about the pros.