Exercise Equipment and Children
For any child, exercise equipment looks like fun. While an adult may dread the sight of a treadmill, to a child, it’s a playground. It is only when tragic accidents happen that we begin to pay more attention to hazards that may otherwise remain unnoticed in the home.
The heartbreaking death of Mike Tyson’s daughter is just one example of the risks that exercise machines pose. Just last year, four-year-old Exodus was found by her older brother, hanging by a cord on a treadmill in the Tyson home. She died at the hospital the next day.
The truth is, accidents like that of Mike Tyson’s daughter are not uncommon. An estimated 25,000 children are injured on exercise equipment each year. Some of the most common injuries are contusions, amputations, fractures and friction burns, some of which have required skin grafting and plastic surgery to repair. However, children are not the only ones subject to injury when it comes to exercise equipment. These machines can be dangerous, not only because of a child’s curiosity, but also because of defective parts and poor manufacturing. Many times these dangers remain unseen until an accident occurs.
How Can I Keep My Child Safe?
There’s no need to throw your treadmill out with the trash. There are many things you can do to keep your exercise equipment in the home, and keep your children safe at the same time.
- Have a room or an area in your home that is specifically used for exercise equipment. Make this area off limits for your children. Lock the door to the exercise room when you are not using it. Some have even purchased a child fence to put around their exercise area. This will work for small children, but as they grow older, a small fence will not keep children out.
-Turn off and unplug your exercise equipment when you are not using it.
-Some exercise machines can be folded and stored under beds or other compact places. If possible, take the time to store your exercise equipment in a safe place. This eliminates the possibility for children to climb and play on the equipment.
-Some exercise equipment has a safety key or cord that automatically turns the machine off when it is pulled. Find a way to remove or reposition this cord when you are not working out so that small hands cannot reach it.
-Don’t leave resistance bands or jump ropes hanging off the side of your exercise machine. Any hanging cords can pose a threat to your child.
-Don’t let your children play near the equipment when you are working out. But also remember to keep your children in sight.
-Don’t wear headphones if you are working out and your children are at home. You may not be able to hear them if they get close to the equipment. It is common for small children to come up behind their parent on a treadmill and get their hand or finger caught in the belt.
-Store weights in a place where your child cannot play with them.
-Be sure your stationary bike has a chain guard to prevent small fingers from getting caught.
-Try to time your workouts during your child’s naps, before they wake up in the morning, or after they go to sleep at night. This eliminates the need to worry if your child is getting too close to the exercise equipment or not.
-As your children get older, teach them the dangers of exercise equipment and the reasons why you insist that they don’t climb and play on the machines. If you choose to let your older child or teenager use your exercise equipment, do so with care and only under your supervision.
Sometimes, despite our best precautions, accidents still happen. Many times these accidents are no fault of our own. At the law offices of D. Hardison Wood, we have represented many people, both children and adults, who have suffered injuries due to malfunctioning or defective exercise machines. We are committed to protecting the legal rights of anyone who has been harmed by dangerous products. If you or your child have been injured, we’d like to help. Please call us today about your potential case.
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