While treadmills are among the most popular pieces of fitness equipment, they can be dangerous. More people are injured by treadmills than any other piece of exercise equipment, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Typical injuries include slips, sprains and strains, but treadmills can also cause serious burns, concussions, broken bones and even death, although the latter is rare. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to use a treadmill safely, experts said.

First, make sure you’re wearing well-fitting exercise clothing and sturdy shoes. Before getting on the machine, warm up with stretches and range-of-motion exercises, said Clark Stevenson, owner of Treadmill Doctor, a treadmill repair company based in Memphis, Tennessee. Then step onto the machine and securely attach the safety key to your shirt. If you should become at risk of falling off of the treadmill, the safety key will immediately turn off the machine.

Next, straddle the belt, turn on the treadmill to a slow speed. Stevenson recommended 1.6 kilometers per hour. Get your bearings with the belt movement, then step on and walk slowly for a while before changing the speed or incline. When your workout is over, turn off the machine and make sure it has stopped before stepping off.

Neglecting to use the safety key is one of the top mistakes Stevenson said treadmill users make. “Walking on a treadmill without a safety key is like driving without a seat belt,” he said.

Certified strength and conditioning specialist Kyle Firmstone has seen many problematic treadmill activities. Firmstone said you shouldn’t walk too close to the console, jump off and on while the machine is still in motion, or set the treadmill to a speed faster than you can handle.

“Talking to other people can be problematic, too,” Firmstone said. “I’ve seen people fly off the end because they were looking in a different direction than they were running, which throws off your proprioception (your body’s ability to sense motion and location).”

When you’re using a treadmill at home, make sure there is plenty of clearance behind the machine, Stevenson said. Should you happen to fall off, you’ll need a safe spot to land.

Maintaining the belt with a silicone lubricant according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and keeping the machine clean are also important, he said, and never use the treadmill when an unattended child or pet is in the room.

“You should never have a child in the same room as an operating treadmill,” Stevenson said. “That’s asking for trouble. All it takes is a split second for a kid to put his hand on the belt or underneath.”(SD-Agencies)

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【脑震荡】nǎozhèndàng concussion a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head

【控制台】kòngzhìtái console a combination of readouts or displays and an input device used to monitor a system

跑步机是最受欢迎的健身器材之一，但使用不慎会很危险。

美国消费品安全委员会发言人说，使用跑步机受伤的人比使用任何其他健身器材受伤的人都多。

跑步机导致的常见伤情包括滑倒、扭伤、拉伤，也有严重烧伤、脑震荡、骨折甚至死亡，尽管后者比较罕见。

专家说，幸运的是安全使用跑步机并不难。

首先要确保穿上合体的运动服和结实的鞋子。总部在美国田纳西州孟菲斯市的跑步机维修公司“跑步机医生”的老板克拉克•史蒂芬森说，上跑步机前要先做几组拉伸和活动关节的热身；上跑步机后要把安全按钮的一端固定在T恤上。如果从跑步机上摔下来，安全按钮会让机器立刻停止运转。

接下来，叉开双腿站在跑带两侧，将跑步机设成慢速。史蒂芬森建议设为每小时1.6公里。调整好速度后，站上去慢慢地走一会儿，然后再加速或改变倾斜度。健身结束后关掉机器，跑带停稳后再从机器上下来。

史蒂芬森表示，忽视安全按钮是跑步机使用过程中最常见的错误之一。他说：“不夹安全按钮就使用跑步机就像开车不系安全带。”

认证体能训练专家凯尔•费尔姆斯通说很多人没有正确使用跑步机。费尔姆斯通指出，不应该离控制台太近，不要在跑带仍在移动的时候跳上跳下，也不要把速度设定在自己的能力范围之外。

费尔姆斯通表示：“边跑边聊天也有安全隐患。我见过有人从跑步机尾部跌落，因为他们跑步时看着另外一个方向，扰乱了本体感知（即身体感知运动和位置的能力）。”

史蒂芬森指出，在家使用跑步机时要确保机器后方有充足的空间，因为万一从跑步机上摔下来，需要一个安全的着地空间。

史蒂芬森表示，根据生产商的建议给跑带上润滑剂来保养机器并保持跑步机清洁也很重要。房间里有无人照看的孩子或宠物时，千万不要使用跑步机。

他说：“千万别让孩子进入一个开着跑步机的房间。这是自找麻烦。孩子分分钟就把手放在跑带上或者跑带下了。”(Translated by Debra)