Home Exercise Equipment-Related Injuries Among Children in the United States

Abstract

This study investigated home exercise equipment—related injuries to children in the United States. Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were analyzed for children 18 years old and younger. An estimated 241 573 children with home exercise equipment—related injuries were treated in US hospital emergency departments from 1990 through 2008, averaging 12 714 children per year. There was a statistically significant increase in the annual number (41.9%) and rate of home exercise equipment—related injuries during the study period. Children younger than 10 years accounted for 71.4% of these injuries. Laceration (37.2%) was the leading injury diagnosis, and the most commonly injured body regions were the head (28.6%), finger/hand (22.0%), and foot (10.9%). The majority of injuries were associated with stationary bicycles (26.5%), treadmills (25.3%), and jump ropes (21.5%). The increasing number and rate of home exercise equipment—related injuries to US children underscores the need for increased efforts to prevent these injuries.