Pediatric treadmill injuries: a public health issue

BackgroundTreadmill injuries in children tend to be severe and are becoming increasingly common. We present an overview of this problem to promote public awareness, education, and to advocate a prevention strategy for this preventable injury.MethodsMedical records of all children with treadmill-related injuries during a 6-year period (January 2001-November 2006) from 2 tertiary pediatric hospitals were reviewed. Data on patient demographics, injury related data, types of surgical procedure, and outcome of treatment were collected.ResultsForty-four children with treadmill-related injuries were admitted in a 6-year period (2001-2006). Each year, the incidence increased with 17 (39%) cases occurring in 2006 so far. The median age of injury at the time of incident was 2.8 years (range, 8 months-12 years). There was a higher incidence in males (55%) compared with females (45%). Most of these injuries were to the hand (75%), full-thickness burns (59%), <1% of total burn surface area (TBSA) (73%), and occurred while the treadmill was in use by an adult (34%). Twenty-one (47%) children required skin grafting surgery.ConclusionTreadmill-related burn injuries in children are a serious public health issue and warrants considerable attention. Adult supervision is paramount, and prevention strategies should include child safety features in equipment designs.