The treadmill is one of the most popular pieces of exercise equipment today, but its origins weren’t in fitness. At one point in time, the “tread-mill” served as a way to punish prisoners in London. In this video, learn how the treadmill has evolved and the different purposes it has served throughout history.
References
Koeppel, Dan. (2019). The torturous history of the treadmill. Wirecutter.
Moss, A. J. (2004). Introductory note to a classic article by Robert A. Bruce. Annals of Noninvasive Cardiology.
Peters, Diane. (2018). Treadmills were meant to be atonement machines. JSTOR Daily.
Science Musuem Group. (n.d.). Sir William Cubitt.
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Written by:
Lauren Smith, MALauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MDSanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.
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