How Hattie Lost 300 Pounds: 'I Was Ready To Do Whatever It Took To…
14 Active Dates For Valentine's Day
Treadmills Aren't Kid Toys
Posted on Sep 11th 2009 11:00AM by Bev SklarFiled Under: Fitness, Fit Family
A treadmill is not a toy, but to a child, this powerful spinning platform sure looks like one. Treadmills are dangerous around young children. This past summer my second-grader saw a treadmill at a relative's house, jumped on it, and before anyone could stop him, beep-beeped the speed up to 10. He immediately stumbled and dove off the front of the treadmill, skinning the top of nearly every toe. It can happen that fast. Dozens of Band-Aids later, he's fine. However, treadmill injuries can be serious, even fatal. Nearly 5,500 children under age 5 visited emergency rooms for treadmill injuries in 2006 and 2007, and Mike Tyson tragically lost his daughter, Exodus, to a treadmill accident last May. Other children have required skin grafts for friction injuries. Flying off the back of a treadmill, little hands stuck underneath the belt or pinched by rollers -- you need to take safety precautions for all at-home cardio machines. You never know when a young child may wander over and start pressing buttons.
FitChix and others offer several treadmill safety tips:
Keys/Codes. Wearing a safety shut-off key is important for all treadmill users, but make sure little ones don't find or even choke on the key after your workout. Place it in a secure, kid-free location. Look for a treadmill with a safety pass code for added protection.
Guards. Nearly one-third of those emergency room visits involved children's hands caught in or on the treadmill. Look for rear-roller and rear-obstruction guards.
Stepping Stool? You may have all the guards, the key locked away and a pass code. But make sure that treadmill isn't a convenient, new stepping stool to reach window blind cords or other dangerous objects.
Best Location/Storage. Keep the treadmill out of the playroom. No access is best for curious eyes. If you can, store it in a dedicated fitness space with a locked door. And make sure when folded, it can't be tipped over.
Watch Out for Auto-Reset. Some treadmills auto-reset to a starting/flat position after your workout. A severe pinching hazard, auto-reset does not offer sensors to reverse the process if someone is inadvertently caught underneath.
When You're On It. Don't use the treadmill when children are around. They may be fiddling behind you, out of sight. Toddlers have a way of hanging around -- you could stumble, they could cause you to stumble, or they could slip and fall onto the belt.
Fit Family Assignment: Inventory and assess the child safety of all your fitness gear and cardio machines. Make sure they're safely used and stored. Review the rules (once again) with your children.
If you like to take family bike rides, don't miss these new family cargo solutions.
