Partly accepting an appeal filed by complainant who suffered harassment at the hands of a gym, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission headed by president justice Raj Shekhar Attri, in an order, enhanced previous compensation amount and ordered a city-based gym to pay ₹32,000 to the complainant.
The complainant, Simranjeet Singh Sidhu, a resident of Sector 16, had filed an appeal against the district consumer forum’s order seeking to enhance the compensation amount of ₹7,000.
The commission directed the manager and trainer of Raw House Fitness, Sector 17, to pay ₹32,000 compensation to the complainant.
The commission also ordered the gym to refund the gym membership fees to the complainant along with an interest of 9% per annum from the date of complaint.
In his complaint, Sidhu stated that he had joined the gym on December 6, 2021, by paying a membership fee of ₹4,500.
For the first two days, he worked out with very light weights to avoid injury. However, on the third day, the trainer instructed him to use heavier weights for an extended period and pushed him excessively in terms of both time and weight. The complainant added that during the session, he informed the trainer multiple times about experiencing difficulty in breathing. Despite this, the trainer asked him to continue, the complainant said.
On December 12, Sidhu noticed that his urine was brown instead of its usual colour. He immediately called his wife, a doctor, who advised him to seek medical attention and drink plenty of water to prevent kidney damage, as it was suspected to be a case of rhabdomyolysis. He followed the advice and after about 24 hours, his urine began to return to a whitish-brown colour. Seeking a second opinion, he went to Nulife Hospital in Sector 115, Mohali, where an ultrasound and various tests confirmed that he was suffering from rhabdomyolysis due to direct or indirect muscle injury. The injury was attributed to the rash and negligent actions of the gym, who forced him to exert excessively. At the time of joining, he was assured that the gym had trained professionals who would help him to maintain good health. Instead, the trainer had compelled him to over-exercise leading to his condition.
{{/usCountry}}On December 12, Sidhu noticed that his urine was brown instead of its usual colour. He immediately called his wife, a doctor, who advised him to seek medical attention and drink plenty of water to prevent kidney damage, as it was suspected to be a case of rhabdomyolysis. He followed the advice and after about 24 hours, his urine began to return to a whitish-brown colour. Seeking a second opinion, he went to Nulife Hospital in Sector 115, Mohali, where an ultrasound and various tests confirmed that he was suffering from rhabdomyolysis due to direct or indirect muscle injury. The injury was attributed to the rash and negligent actions of the gym, who forced him to exert excessively. At the time of joining, he was assured that the gym had trained professionals who would help him to maintain good health. Instead, the trainer had compelled him to over-exercise leading to his condition.
{{/usCountry}}“It is very much established that the appellant approached the doctor only after he felt uncomfortable and not well after doing exercise at the respondents – gym. It cannot be ignored that rhabdomyolysis is a rare muscle injury where the muscles break down and it is also life-threatening in rare cases. Therefore, one thing is clear that the appellant suffered from rhabdomyolysis because of excessive exercise or training at the gym, which the respondents failed to supervise. No doubt, the trainers of the respondents gym may be experts in their field and certified ones but the fact is that the gym failed to exercise its expertise and supervise the appellant during the first three days of his joining,” stated the commission.
“We would like to add here that gym trainers have a responsibility to take due caution while imparting training to ensure the safety and well-being of their client. They should also assess each client’s fitness level, health conditions and personal goals before creating a training programme to the individual’s needs and capabilities, reducing the risk of injury,” said the commission observed.