When you try to be healthier, sometimes things don’t work out.
Exercise equipment like treadmills, steppers and medicine balls sent nearly 500,000 Americans to the emergency room in 2022, according to a new analysis.
In 2022, approximately 445,642 people visited the hospital due to gym equipment, and a total of 719,335 people required treatment for injuries related to basketball and cycling.
Cuts and other injuries related to exercise equipment include everything from broken bones, severe contusions, cuts and concussions to strains, according to consumer safety expert Safety America.
When using cardio equipment such as a treadmill, the belt can rub against your skin, causing friction burns.
According to the National Safety Council, the home is considered the safest place, yet approximately 78% of all injuries occur there.
“This study highlights the critical importance of product safety and the need for continuous improvement of design standards to protect consumers.” Personal Injury Lawyer Bader Scottsaid the person involved in the analysis.
This data was collected by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which tracks injuries annually based on information from 96 different hospitals in the United States.
According to the CPSC definition, exercise equipment includes a wide variety of equipment, including aerobic materials, medicine balls, resistance bands, weights, gymnastics bars, stationary bikes, jumping boxes, ellipticals, hiking, jogging, skipping ropes, rollers, and treadmills. included. stair stepper.
Their 2022 findings reveal that injuries from home exercise equipment are more common than you might think, and have even led to major recalls.
In 2021, fitness giant Peloton recalled 126,000 of its Tread+ treadmills after 72 people reported injuries including cuts, burns, and broken bones. One child was sucked into the machine and died after being trapped under it.
Stairmaster recalled 3,500 of its stepper machines in 2018 after some models were found to accelerate automatically, leading to falls and injuries.
2014 survey We found that most home exercise-related injuries (approximately 66%) were caused by treadmills.
“Treadmills come with all sorts of risks because they’re machines,” said Clark Stevenson, owner of Treadmill Doctor, a treadmill repair company. told WSILTV.
Treadmills were responsible for some of the more than 400,000 injuries in 2022, according to new analysis
Other studies have found that free weights like dumbbells can be dangerous.
Financial Services Company 2021 Report Compare markets They discovered that lifting weights that were too heavy for them caused upper body strains, sprains, and dislocations.
Accidents with fitness equipment tend to occur when people don’t understand how to use it, said Chris Guyer, director of Sportsplex, a gym in Connecticut. connecticut state health team. “Accidents happen because people are in an environment they are not used to,” he said.
Other findings from the CPSC report include that men are more likely to be injured while exercising than women.
Men were 451 percent more likely to be injured while playing basketball than women.
Men are almost three times more likely to be injured while cycling, with 302,801 injuries in 2022. The number of injuries to women was 102,467.
Men were 31% more likely overall to suffer an injury while using exercise equipment than women.
One study found that weightlifting can lead to the most injuries, especially related to poor form and lifting weights that are too heavy.
The study also looked at other common causes of injuries in the home and found that the worst culprit was the home itself.
Stairs, ramps, landings, and floors cause an estimated 2,865,817 injuries each year.
Scott said this likely has something to do with the fact that accidental falls are the number one cause of non-fatal emergency room visits in the United States.
Each year, at least 3 million older Americans are treated in the ER for injuries caused by falls. CDC report.
Other interesting items that topped the list included beds, mattresses, clothing, ceilings, and tables.
45% of all mattress and bedding-related injuries occurred in people 65 and older. This may be because older adults are at higher risk of falling when getting out of bed and are more likely to develop pressure ulcer-related injuries such as pressure sores. According to Johns Hopkins University.
Scott said knowing about these risks could help avoid future injuries.
“The key to prevention is awareness. By understanding the risks associated with these common products, consumers can take proactive steps to protect themselves and their families.” Scott said.
