While treadmills are among the most popular pieces of fitness equipment, they can be dangerous.
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, then turn on the treadmill to a slow speed. Stevenson recommended 1 mile per hour (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. "Ninety-nine percent of the time you won't have to use it, but when you need it, you really need it."
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. While many manufacturers say you only need 3 or 4 feet of clearance, Stevenson recommended 6 feet (1.8 meters). At his own home, he has 8 feet (2.4 meters) of clearance because he is 6'2" tall.
"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."
No matter your age, don't overdo it if you're new to treadmill use. Your body will need time to acclimate to this new form of exercise. While similar to walking or running outside, doing the same on a treadmill is not identical, due to the moving belt.
如何安全地使用跑步机
尽管跑步机是最受欢迎的健身器材之一，但跑步机也可以很危险。
跑步机导致的受伤通常包括滑倒、扭伤、拉伤，但跑步机也会导致严重烧伤、脑震荡、骨折甚至死亡，尽管后者比较罕见。
专家称，幸运的是，安全使用跑步机是相对容易的。
首先，你要确保自己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修理公司“跑步机医生”的老板克拉克·史蒂芬森指出，上跑步机前要先做几组拉伸和全范围关节运动来热身；上跑步机后要先把安全按钮牢牢固定在自己穿的T恤上。如果你要从跑步机上摔下来，安全按钮会立刻让机器停止运转。
接下来，叉开双腿站在跑带两侧，并将跑步机设成慢速。史蒂芬森建议设为每小时1.6公里的速度。熟悉跑带移动速度后，再站上去慢慢地走一会儿，然后再改变速度或倾斜身体。在健身结束后，关掉机器，确定跑带不再移动才下来。
史蒂芬森表示，忽视对安全按钮的使用是跑步机用户最常犯的错误之一。他说：“在摸不到安全按钮的跑步机上走路就像开车不系安全带。99%的时候你都用不到安全按钮，但一旦你需要它，那就是真需要。”
力量和调节认证专家凯尔·费尔姆斯通见过很多使用跑步机的错误做法。费尔姆斯通指出，不能走得离控制台太近，也不能在跑带仍在移动的时候跳上跳下，或是给跑步机设定的速度超出自己的能力范围。
费尔姆斯通表示：“在跑步机上和别人聊天也有安全隐患。我见过有人从跑步机尾部跌落，因为他们在跑步时看着另外一个方向，从而扰乱了本体感受（身体感知运动和位置的能力）。”
史蒂芬森指出，当你在家使用跑步机时，要确保跑步机后面有充足的空间。万一你从跑步机上摔下来，你需要一个安全的着地空间。尽管许多生产商指出你只需要3到4英尺的安全空间，但是史蒂芬森建议你留出6英尺（1.8米）的空间。他在自己家里给跑步机留出了8英尺（2.4米）的空间，因为他身高6英尺2英寸（1.88米）。
史蒂芬森说：“你永远不要让孩子进入一个开着跑步机的房间。这是自找麻烦。孩子把手放在跑带上或跑带下，那就是一瞬间的事。”
无论你年龄多大，只要你是跑步机新手，就必须量力而行。你的身体需要时间来适应这种新的健身方式。尽管在跑步机上运动与在外走路或跑步相似，但是由于跑带是移动的，这两者就不可能完全一样。