A Little Lesson in Treadmill Safety

Did you know that treadmills are thought to be the most dangerous of all home fitness exercise equipment? Perhaps this is due to the fact that more than 50 million Americans use them as part of their exercise routine. Obviously, injuries are going to occur when so many people are using these large machines. But, with some sensible precautions and simple steps, you can protect yourself and enjoy using your treadmill. Here are a few treadmill safety tips.

Some of our suggestions may be common sense, but here at Treadmill Reviews, we know that a range of people uses treadmills, from running beginners to veterans. So, no matter your comfort with running and treadmills in general, here are some rules to follow.

Stand On Side Rails Before Starting The Treadmill

Way too many people stand on the treadmill belt before it starts to move. In many instances, the worst issue you will experience is that you will lurch to a start. However, there are a couple of reasons why you should start by standing on the side rails.

For one thing, you are creating a hiccup in your treadmill motor motion, as it has to push past you standing on the belt. This simple action of forcing the motor to work a little harder as it starts can wear your machine out faster.

Also, if you aren’t paying close attention—maybe you are trying to find the right song or podcast to start your run—when your treadmill starts, it is easy to pitch forward when your treadmill starts moving. Some people have smacked face-first into their treadmill consoles or tripped and fallen on the moving treadmill by standing on the belt as it starts to move. So, do yourself a favor and stand on the side rails when you are starting up your treadmill.

Bring Your Treadmill To A Complete Stop Before Getting Off

While running, you shouldn’t ever get off of the treadmill while the belt is still moving. It can be tempting to just jump off while it’s still going but don’t do it. Quite a few people have injured themselves trying to use the handlebars to boost themselves up and off of their treadmill. The moving treadmill belt can easily catch a dangling foot and drag a person back down.

In some instances, trying this maneuver may just lead to you crashing to the ground. But for some people, when they fall on the moving belt, the treadmill belt grinds off skin. If you don’t want the worst exfoliation ever, bring your treadmill to a complete stop before getting off of it. Many modern treadmills have a pause function, so your whole workout won’t reset by stopping and getting off for a few minutes.

Stay Focused While Using Your Treadmill

Part of the appeal of using a treadmill is that you are less at risk of tripping over uneven footing, being jostled by other pedestrians, and don’t need to watch out for vehicles. But that doesn’t mean you should zone out while using your treadmill.

It is extremely easy to be distracted while you are running, as plenty of treadmill users watch TV, listen to music, and other audio entertainment to help the miles pass. It is easy to misstep while running on a treadmill if less than half of your concentration is on how your body is moving.

For example, say your foot lands half on the belt, half on the treadmill side rail. You could easily end up sprawled on the floor, likely smacking your head and a few other body parts on the way down. Sprained ankles can also be a horrible consequence of not paying attention. So, try to avoid fiddling with tech or distracting yourself too much while on your treadmill.

Avoid Tinkering With Your Machine

Some people feel a nearly insatiable desire to tinker with their devices. Whether it’s trying to jailbreak the tablet on your treadmill or poke around your treadmill motor, our advice is simple—don’t do it!

Opening up your machine for anything other than to vacuum out dust is a great way to void your warranty. Same goes for fiddling with your tablet—just use your smartphone or own tablet, leave your treadmill alone. Because, if you do manage to break something, you are out of luck when it comes to calling in for repairs since you have voided your warranty.

Connect your Safety Clip Key

Another bad idea is running without attaching the safety key to yourself. We haven’t seen a treadmill that doesn’t come with a magnetic safety key, which comes with a cord attached that has a clip at the other end of the cord.

These keys need to be in place before your treadmill will turn on, yet so many people neglect to clip the cord to themselves before using their treadmills. So, if there is an accident, and you fall with the treadmill belt still moving, you can become seriously injured. But, with the safety clip attached, your falling will pull the key off the treadmill and bring the belt to a halt immediately.

Even if it feels a little silly, or you are only walking on your treadmill, clip on the key, just in case something goes wrong.

Sometimes, treadmill injuries can occur due to poor construction on the part of the treadmill. These kinds of injuries are more common with cheap treadmills, so if you are looking into bringing a treadmill home, why not look at some of the best treadmills? That way, you can better protect yourself and find a quality treadmill that can support your health and fitness goals.