Health club dangers

A recent study of 122 health and fitness clubs in Ohio by University of Massachusetts' associate professor, Dr. Kyle McInnis, published in the July issue of the journal, Chest, found that 28 percent of the 65 clubs that responded to the survey don't do "pre-entry screening to identify members with signs, symptoms or history of cardiovascular disease," even though 52 percent of clubs offered special programs for older adults, cardiac patients or both. Despite the fact that, during the past five years, 17 percent of clubs reported one or more cardiovascular emergencies (e.g., stroke or sudden cardiac death), only three percent of health clubs surveyed maintain an automated external …