The exercise equipment brand BowFlex recalled millions of its adjustable dumbbells because of the risk of metal plates dislodging from the product’s handle and hitting people during weight lifting.
Concussions, abrasions, broken toes and contusions are among the 111 reports of injuries caused by the plates dislodging, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Thursday. More than 300 reports of plates coming off had been filed with the company that used to own the brand, the agency said.
The more than 3.8 million recalled units are from the models marketed as the “BowFlex 552, 52.5-lb. Adjustable Dumbbells,” and the “BowFlex 1090, 90-lb. Adjustable Dumbbells,” the commission said.
Johnson Health Tech Trading, the company that owns the trademark rights to market and sell the adjustable dumbbells, said in a statement that it issued the voluntary recall in cooperation with the safety commission to enhance customer protection, even though most of the dumbbells were sold under Nautilus, a defunct company that was the previous owner of the BowFlex products.
“Despite having no obligation to do so, Johnson Health Tech Trading is stepping up to provide a remedy to customers who purchased recalled dumbbells from Nautilus,” said the statement, adding the company will also be responsive to customers with recalled dumbbells “that our company distributed or sold.”
The model 552 dumbbells adjust from five to 52.5 pounds, while the model 1090 adjusts from 10 to 90 pounds. They are black dumbbells with handles that were sold in pairs and single units, and came with weights with handles, weight plates and a molded plastic trays, the commission said.
