A 2021 survey found 25% of US households owned a treadmill, tied with yoga mats as the second-most popular at-home fitness tool, behind weights. Yet the seemingly simple treadmill was originally conceived as a punishment — and the “mill” part was literal.
Treadmills were initially powered by either humans or animals and used to grind grains and corn. In 1818, Sir William Cubitt, whose father was a miller, suggested using a treadmill at a prison in Bury St. Edmunds, England, to keep inmates busy.
This device required several prisoners to climb an infinite staircase — so, more like a StairMaster — for hours at a time. Their use spread across Europe and the US as a means of rehabilitation, though it often just led to injury and sickness. In the 1900s, treadmills were phased out, with England abolishing their use in the penal system in 1902.
The first US patent for a treadmill as an exercise device was issued in 1913. It may feel like torture, but at least you can hop off whenever you like.
