May 2001 University Reporter

Kyle McInnis By Anne-Marie Kent

Signing up for a health club membership usually reflects a desire to become healthier. According to a recent UMass Boston study, however, exercising at an ill-equipped facility may prove downright dangerous. Published in the July issue of CHEST, a medical journal published by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), the survey of fitness clubs found low awareness of and adherence to national standards regarding cardiovascular screening and emergency procedures.

Directed by Associate Professor Kyle McInnis of the Exercise Science and Physical Education Department, the study showed that 53 percent of fitness centers surveyed kept no written emergency response plan and 92 percent failed to conduct emergency response drills in accordance with published national standards. Also, while 52 percent of clubs surveyed offered special programs for older adults, cardiac patients, or both, more than one-fourth (28 percent) of those failed to conduct pre-entry screening to identify members with signs, symptoms, or history of cardiovascular disease.

McInnis calls the findings “alarming,” given the fact that the fastest-growing groups of health club members are those aged 35 to 54 years. He says that fitness facilities need to perform adequate and careful evaluation of all individuals, especially the elderly and those with multiple risk factors and/or signs or symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease.
The purpose of the study, which surveyed 122 randomly selected health clubs in Ohio, was to evaluate compliance with recommendations for safety measures made in 1998 by the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine.

“Patients with cardiac disease are ten times more likely to suffer a cardiac event during exercise than healthy people,” said Robert G. Johnson, president of the American College of Chest Physicians and chairman and professor of surgery at Saint Louis University. “Every minute is critical when there’s a cardiac incident, and it’s imperative that trained personnel and emergency procedures be in place so that a workout at the gym doesn’t become a tragedy.”

According to McInnis, health clubs need to prepare for prompt and appropriate responses to medical emergencies that may occur. They should perform cardiovascular screening of all new members and/or prospective users. Facilities also should have written emergency policies and procedures that are reviewed and practiced regularly.

Hidden Risks of Health Clubs Uncovered by UMass Boston Study