A treadmill is an exercise device that has two major parts. It features a rolling road which is a continuously moving sheet on the floor of the treadmill which simulates the movement of the road as it would move under the feet of an individual. The treadmill also has a control panel which could be used to set various parameters for the exercise that is intended. These parameters include speed, duration and degree of slope. All these parameters can be manipulated such that they produce the desired exercise effort in an individual.
The treadmill test is a medical test that uses the treadmill to make a patient undergo the physical strain of exercise. This is necessary to diagnose some conditions which may not show up while the person is at rest. These conditions include irregular heartbeat, angina, blood pressure issues and exercise induced asthma.
Like all testing procedures, the treadmill test has its inherent risks. The first and most obvious treadmill test risk is that of physical injury to the patient. Some tests involve running or jogging fast on the treadmill. If the patient is not capable of maintaining the effort or if a cardiac/respiratory event occurs while exercising, the patient's running speed may slow below the speed of the treadmill. This can cause tripping and falling which can, itself, cause serious injury to the individual. To avoid this risk, the tester must be present and alert throughout the test.
Another treadmill test risk is that of inducing a serious cardiac event. When using a treadmill test, a doctor wishes to stress the heart out just enough so as to produce the desired symptoms. However, there is no way of knowing exactly when the heart will be overstressed. A patient's condition may also be borderline dangerous and excessive physical exercise may be the last straw on the camel's back for the patient's heart. It is not uncommon for patients to suffer from heart attacks or strokes while or immediately after undergoing a cardiac stress test.
There is also a risk associated with misdiagnosis in the cause of a treadmill test, although this is significantly reduced with modern medicine. Some patients will be diagnosed as healthy if there is no symptom that occurs within the few minutes of exercise during a treadmill test. Others may be diagnosed with heart conditions when in fact they are suffering from stamina related issues which make them unfit and not unhealthy.