Although not generally a serious risk, if your treadmill shocks you, it can be a deterrent to regular exercise. Being shocked by your treadmill can happen for several different reasons, some easier to control than others. Even when you can't control them, such as at a gym, you can still prevent them.
Causes
If you don't properly ground your treadmill, you can be shocked by it. Grounding refers to connecting pieces of metal to the earth. This provides a pathway for any extra electric current to follow so it doesn't run through the machine to the user. The buildup of static electricity between you and parts of the treadmill is another common cause of shocking, the result of constant contact as you walk or run on the belt.
Ground Your Treadmill
All treadmills have published power requirements, usually found in the owner's manual. Plug your treadmill into a properly rated surge suppressor and plug the surge suppressor into a grounded outlet. A treadmill plug typically has three prongs -- the round prong is the grounding prong. If your outlet has a two-prong receptacle, contact a qualified electrician to install a grounded outlet. Most treadmills are not compatible with GFCI-equipped outlets.
Home Solutions
The amount of humidity in the air affects the amount of static electricity buildup. If the air is dry, you will have more static electricity. Place a humidifier in the room where you run your treadmill. This should reduce the shocking. Having your treadmill on a carpet will result in more static electricity than placing it on other type of flooring. If you only have carpet, purchase an exercise mat to reduce some of the static electricity between the carpet and the machine.
Gym Solutions
If you are working out at a gym, using a humidifier or moving the treadmill is probably not an option. You can still minimize shocks with some simple solutions. Try a different treadmill. Depending on the design of the machine, one treadmill may be worse than another in building up static electricity. Wear an anti-static wrist strap. These are small Velcro straps with an alligator clip at the end of a coiled wire. Attach the clip to a metal part of the treadmill and secure the strap around your wrist.
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