Pump Up Safety Measures while Pumping Up
Treadmills and barbells may help keep adults healthy, but home exercise equipment poses a great danger to the younger set, say experts. The recent strangulation death of 4-year-old Exodus Tyson, daughter of boxer Mike Tyson, illustrates the hidden hazards in seemingly harmless apparatus.
Children and exercise equipment injuries
More than 25,000 children each year are injured by exercise equipment, including stationary bicycles, treadmills, stair climbers, and free weights according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. About 9,000 of those injuries are to children under 5 years of age.
These injuries include:
- Head trauma and crush injuries from falling weights
- Falls on treadmills
- Finger amputations and hand and foot fractures
- Jump-rope and power cord strangulations
How to keep your children safe around exercise equipment
Safety experts say the best way to keep kids from getting hurt on exercise equipment is diligent parental supervision and limited access to the equipment. In addition:
- Keep your exercise equipment in a room that you can childproof, lock, and keep off-limits to your kids.
- Never let the children play on your exercise equipment.
- Unplug exercise equipment when you are done using it; remove or secure any loose cords or wires.
- Don’t let older kids use exercise equipment without adult supervision.
- Buy a stationary bike that has a chain guard to keep little fingers from getting caught in the chain.
- Choose exercise equipment that has a safety key or switch that automatically turns off when it is pulled out.
- Don't let young children play nearby while you are working out, as they could get their fingers or hands caught in the equipment while you are using it. Experts report that many infants and toddlers have gotten their hands caught on a treadmill belt.
- Don’t wear headphones when you are working out since you will be less likely to hear your child if he is nearby.
- If necessary, put your infant or toddler in a nearby play yard while you are working out on your home exercise equipment, or try to time your work out with your child’s naps.
- Don’t leave heavy weights, hanging cords (jump ropes, resistance bands, etc.), or other equipment that could pose a hidden danger where your kids can play with them.
- Don’t put your home exercise equipment in your family room or game room, since it will be hard to restrict access to them in these rooms.
- Store unused exercise equipment where your kids can’t get to it.
Reviewed by: Patrick S. Pasquariello Jr., MD
Date: October 2009
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