Three Tips for Avoiding Germs at the Gym
The best defense is a good offense, especially when you’re at the gym. Your second home can easily become your worst nightmare if you’re not aware of the potentially dangerous conditions lurking on equipment, in showers and on locker room floors.
Yep, those 35-pound dumbbells you pick up for your next set of Curls are germ-ridden, just like the pad on the Bench Press. Accidentally touch your eye after setting down the barbell? You have an increased chance of being struck with conjunctivitis [aka pinkeye]. Think you’re simply getting clean in the shower? Think again. Go barefoot, and you may contract athlete’s foot.
Don’t worry. You don’t have to throw in the towel—just carry one around. Read on to learn why, along with other hygiene tips to help you steer clear of germs and bacteria during future weight room sessions.
Carry a Towel
Think about how much you sweat during workouts. Now multiply that thought by “X”—the number of people at your gym who use the same equipment. Mildly disturbed? You should be. That’s a lot of sweat, and a lot of germs. According to medicalnewstoday.com, it’s possible to contract methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], better known as Staph infection, from free weights and other shared gym equipment. MRSA is a skin infection that initially resembles a spider bite. According to the Centers for Disease Control [CDC], the skin will appear red and swollen and may even be pus-filled.
Step one to prevent MRSA: wipe down equipment before using it. Step two: use a clean towel as a buffer against bacteria—it provides a layer of protection between your skin and the equipment.
Wash Your Hands
According to WebMD, “most germs find their way into the body via the hands.” That’s all the more reason to wash them often, with soap and water. “The physical act of washing removes all kinds of micro-organisms, including viruses,” reports WebMD.
In addition, if your gym has automatic hand sanitizers, pump them up before and after you pump iron. Or carry your own dispenser. “Make sure you use [disinfectant solution] as much as you can,” recommends Matt Carlen, director of LifeBridge Health and Fitness in Baltimore, Md., in an article published on WebMD [click here to read more about Six Health Risks to Avoid at the Gym].
Use of Purell or other sanitizers will reduce your risk of contracting pinkeye. The condition is brought on by viruses/bacteria, which cause inflammation in the eyes, resulting in a white or yellow discharge and a pink or reddish eye color, according to the CDC.
Shower With Shoes
Avoid going barefoot. Wearing flip-flops in the shower helps reduce the risk of contracting athlete’s foot, according to WebMD. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection contracted when a bare foot makes contact with a moist environment, such as a gym locker room or communal shower. The result: an infection that causes tiny cracks between your toes and can also result in flaking and a severe burning pain. [Click here to find out how to treat it.]
Sources: webmd.com, cdc.gov, medicalnewstoday.com
Photo: hypermuscles.com
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST POPULAR
Three Tips for Avoiding Germs at the Gym
The best defense is a good offense, especially when you’re at the gym. Your second home can easily become your worst nightmare if you’re not aware of the potentially dangerous conditions lurking on equipment, in showers and on locker room floors.
Yep, those 35-pound dumbbells you pick up for your next set of Curls are germ-ridden, just like the pad on the Bench Press. Accidentally touch your eye after setting down the barbell? You have an increased chance of being struck with conjunctivitis [aka pinkeye]. Think you’re simply getting clean in the shower? Think again. Go barefoot, and you may contract athlete’s foot.
Don’t worry. You don’t have to throw in the towel—just carry one around. Read on to learn why, along with other hygiene tips to help you steer clear of germs and bacteria during future weight room sessions.
Carry a Towel
Think about how much you sweat during workouts. Now multiply that thought by “X”—the number of people at your gym who use the same equipment. Mildly disturbed? You should be. That’s a lot of sweat, and a lot of germs. According to medicalnewstoday.com, it’s possible to contract methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], better known as Staph infection, from free weights and other shared gym equipment. MRSA is a skin infection that initially resembles a spider bite. According to the Centers for Disease Control [CDC], the skin will appear red and swollen and may even be pus-filled.
Step one to prevent MRSA: wipe down equipment before using it. Step two: use a clean towel as a buffer against bacteria—it provides a layer of protection between your skin and the equipment.
Wash Your Hands
According to WebMD, “most germs find their way into the body via the hands.” That’s all the more reason to wash them often, with soap and water. “The physical act of washing removes all kinds of micro-organisms, including viruses,” reports WebMD.
In addition, if your gym has automatic hand sanitizers, pump them up before and after you pump iron. Or carry your own dispenser. “Make sure you use [disinfectant solution] as much as you can,” recommends Matt Carlen, director of LifeBridge Health and Fitness in Baltimore, Md., in an article published on WebMD [click here to read more about Six Health Risks to Avoid at the Gym].
Use of Purell or other sanitizers will reduce your risk of contracting pinkeye. The condition is brought on by viruses/bacteria, which cause inflammation in the eyes, resulting in a white or yellow discharge and a pink or reddish eye color, according to the CDC.
Shower With Shoes
Avoid going barefoot. Wearing flip-flops in the shower helps reduce the risk of contracting athlete’s foot, according to WebMD. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection contracted when a bare foot makes contact with a moist environment, such as a gym locker room or communal shower. The result: an infection that causes tiny cracks between your toes and can also result in flaking and a severe burning pain. [Click here to find out how to treat it.]
Sources: webmd.com, cdc.gov, medicalnewstoday.com
Photo: hypermuscles.com