Health News

Dave Goldberg’s Death Proves Treadmills Are Dangerous, Potentially Fatal Workout Machines

When you think about it, treadmills are fairly simple pieces of equipment and although it’s quite rare, irregular use can be fatal.

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, during a period from 2003 to 2012, there were 30 reported deaths related to treadmill use— far fewer than deaths caused by lightning strikes.

The recent death of 47-year-old Dave Goldberg — the chief executive of SurveyMonkey who died as a result of head trauma on Friday night, after collapsing while working out in the gym at his private villa in Mexico — left many shocked as well as concerned about the safety and risks associated with treadmill use, according to The New York Times.

“His brother, Robert Goldberg, found him laying on the floor of a gym, with blood around him at around 7 p.m. Apparently he fell during his exercise on a treadmill and cracked his head open,” his spokesman said.

In 2014, there were approximately 24,400 injuries associated with treadmill exercising in emergency departments across the country, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in Bethesda, Maryland. The agency has indicated that a total of 62,700 injuries were reported across exercise equipment, which includes weight lifting, swimming, golf clubs, and even trampolines.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”– Dr. Joseph E. Herrera” author_title=”Director of sports medicine in the department of rehabilitation medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital”]

I have seen only seven patients with treadmill injuries over the last ten years. (…) It’s a very rare occurrence, but if it happens it can have severe consequences. (…) Of all workout machines, treadmill is the riskiest, because it has a motor that propels it, unlike less complex machines as stationary bicycle or elliptical machine.

[/quote]

Exercising injuries tend to happen when we lose focus while exercising, whether it be by improper and reckless usage of exercise machines or by texting or watching television while exercising. Many people are careful while exercising with heavy objects, but after the set has tired them out, they become lax about grabbing them or putting them back. They bend and lift with their back, endangering the disks in their spines, instead of using their legs, as reported by The Washington Post.

In other health related news here on Immortal News, a six year long study suggests intense exercise may enhance longevity and reduce the risk of mortality.

Click to comment
To Top

Hi - Get Important Content Like This Delivered Directly To You

Get important content and more delivered to you once or twice a week.

We don't want an impostor using your email address so please look for an email from us and click the link to confirm your email address.