Treadmills are the most popular and most common pieces of exercise equipment on the market. They are easy to use, and most people assume that the treadmill is the safest piece of exercise equipment available. They may be safer than some of your other exercise machinery out there, but they are certainly not harm-free. Each year, more and more accidents occur that are related to exercise equipment, so it’s important to know the proper procedures and possible malfunctions of each piece of exercise equipment you use.
Safety First
When not in use, at-home treadmills and all other fitness equipment should always be turned off, and if any children life in the home, be sure everything is unplugged as well. Mike Tyson’s daughter was strangled to death by a treadmill cord in 2009. People get the skin burned off of their hands if they get their hands stuck under the belts of moving treadmills.
Dress appropriately when using treadmills and all other exercise equipment. Avoid wearing baggy clothing. Wearing baggy clothing will increase the likelihood of your clothes getting stuck in the machinery while in use. Wear tightly-tied sneakers with good supports that are comfortable for your feet, not flat-bottomed shoes or flip flops. And never, ever work with exercise equipment in bare feet.
If you wear loosely-tied sneakers, you run the risk of having your shoelaces come undone in the middle of a workout. If you’re running on the treadmill, there’s a very high possibility your laces can get caught in the belt. Even your hair or clothes may get caught in the belt if you bend down to tie your shoelaces or attempt to yank them out of the belt if they get stuck, so be very careful when using any sort of moving fitness equipment.
If you have long hair, make sure it is tied up and away from anything it could get caught on.
Mechanical Malfunctions
In today’s society, all sources of technology can experience glitches. This goes for fitness equipment, as well. You may have the most up-to-date treadmill on the market, but that doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear mechanically.
Sometimes machinery can experience mechanical malfunctions, and it is important for the operator to be aware of the possible malfunctions and how to handle them. Sometimes machinery can get moody. It is possible for treadmills to have delayed reactions. For example, if you press a button to increase the incline on your treadmill, sometimes it may take a moment to kick in. It is important to note that you should not automatically assume that your treadmill will register this instantly. Give it a moment. In addition, do not start running faster as soon as you press the button to increase your speed. Wait until you can feel the belt begin to move faster before you start moving faster yourself.
Consult Your Physician
Before you begin any sort of workout routine, it is crucial that you see you physician. It may sound ridiculous to you–why should you see a doctor if you’re just going for a run every other day? But the truth is this: there is a slight possibility that you may have a health condition that could be more harmful to your body if you’re performing certain exercises. And remember to practice safety first.
Rose Boettinger is a guest blogger for Professional Fitness Concepts. Rose loves helping people learn how to get in shape and be fit. Visit PFCFitnessEquipment.com for the best prices on used gym equipment.