Treadmill Safety:
Safety Tips for the Treadmill
Treadmill safety is nothing to scoff at, especially if you want to get the best out of your exercise program. Treadmill workouts are one of the best ways of increasing cardiovascular fitness.
Most fitness tests are based on how well a person can perform a treadmill test, and treadmills are also a very efficient way of burning off calories.
There are many benefits to starting a regular treadmill workout. Like all forms of exercise it can help to burn off body fat, lose weight, reduce the risks of heart disease developing, and alleviate depression and negative feelings about the body.
However, there are also some risks. It is best to check with your doctor that you do not have any pre-existing conditions that would make it inadvisable for you to start an exercise program right now. It is also important for everyone to start with a low or moderate level of exercise and increase very gradually.
Before beginning to use your treadmill, you should be sure that you understand all of the readings on the control panel and how to change the settings.
If you have a home treadmill, it is important to read all of the instructions before beginning, and make sure that you have everything set up correctly and safely.
All users should be aware of where to find the pause or stop buttons. These will allow you to stop the treadmill immediately in the event of something going wrong, such as a shoelace getting caught in the belt.
Of course every user should take care not to let any items of clothing trail on the belt or against the railings, but sometimes this can happen without a person noticing, so you need to know where the emergency stop button is located.
You will need good running shoes for your treadmill workout. Never run or walk barefoot on a treadmill, as this can cause injury. Running shoes will add to the absorption of the treadmill itself to help protect your knees from jarring shocks that can cause injury over the years.
Performing a short series of warm-up stretches for the hamstrings and calf muscles is helpful before beginning to walk on the treadmill. You can also do these at the end to help the muscles adjust.
To start, stand on the side rails, not on the belt itself. Start up the belt at a slow speed and use one foot to get used to the rhythm, then add the other foot to the belt. You can increase the speed and tilt in slow increments.
In the beginning you can go on holding the rails or hand bars while you walk, but later you will need to kick this habit, because it is not good for the posture long term. Only one person should ever be on the treadmill at one time.
Throughout your workout, try to look straight ahead. If you look down or to the side you are more likely to become dizzy and lose your balance. If your shoes become untied or you drop anything, step off the belt and stop it while you fix the problem. Never stand still on the belt while it is moving.
If you feel dizzy at the end of your treadmill workouts, simply stand still beside the treadmill holding the rails until the dizziness has passed. You will probably find that this stops being a problem when you get used to using the treadmill.
These treadmill safety tips will help you get the best from your treadmill workouts.
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