Youngsters ‘in danger’ from home treadmills

Doctors are warning of the “significant danger” of home treadmills after reports of children suffering deep burns and trapping their hands in the running belt.

New research found youngsters suffering injuries to their arms, with more than half needing skin grafts following an accident. More than two-thirds of children assessed in two UK burns units had suffered deep burns from a treadmill.

Overall, experts reported 29 children treadmill-related injuries between 2003 and 2009 at the two units, with the number of cases going up each year.

All the injuries occurred at home, and 16 of the youngsters trapped their hand or forearm under the conveyer belt when an adult was using the machine.

Seven children had touched a recently used machine while playing under the supervision of an adult but two were injured while playing alone.

Most injuries were to the arms but one toddler also suffered a burn to the nape of its neck.

The children, made up of 15 boys and 14 girls, were aged between one and 13, with a typical age of three, the study found.

The researchers said there was a need to “promote public awareness of this type of injury”.

They added: “The use of home exercise equipment is increasing and treadmills are becoming more popular. This has brought with it an emerging but preventable problem.

“All injuries occurred at home and the majority of children trapped their hand under the running belt when an adult was using the machine.”