Healthy B.P.M.

As most of us visit our local gym, we are unaware of the dangers that lurk amongst the various cardio and fitness equipment. What you don’t want is to be exposed to a deadly strain of staph bacteria, called “methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Its been all over the news lately as cases of exposure are turning up in the most unlikely places, such as schools and gyms. But this should be expected as germs thrive in these types of environments that allow them to transfer quickly and grow uninhibited.

According to Fiona Duffy, Germs in your gym bag, we are exposed to germs in many ways in the gym. One way is sharing towels. Sharing towels has been linked to the spread of this new type of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in athletic and sports teams.

“Community-acquired strains of MRSA are quite different from the hospital type,” says Dr Sally Bloomfield of the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene in London.

“They have acquired the ability to produce a potent tissue toxin called Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL), which can lead to skin and soft tissue infections, including flesh-eating forms.

“These bacteria can infect the young and healthy. Transmission via close contact, sharing towels and sports equipment is a significant risk factor.”

More than half of us carry the ‘old type’ of Staphylococcus aureus on our skin. Anyone with broken skin - cuts, wounds or abrasions - is at risk of contracting a staph infection from someone else.

You can also pass on threadworm parasites and infections such as diarrhoea and tummy upsets through towels, says Professor Jean Emberlin of the University of Worcester.

Bridget Coila’s article, Gym germs: why common diseases flourish in your gym and what you can do to avoid them, disclosed that the human papillomavirus (i.e., the virus that causes plantar warts) is another disease-causing organism commonly found in health clubs. These warts appear alone or in clusters on the bottom of the feet. Even in a seemingly immaculate gym, these organisms can dwell in unexpected places. “The most common place people pick up warts and athlete’s foot is in the locker room. It doesn’t matter if it has a carpeted or tile floor. The second place is in shower stalls. Another place most people don’t suspect is alongside indoor pools, but a lot of foot fungus is found there,” Adams says.

Preventative actions: If using a towel to wipe machine handles or place over seats in the gym, don’t use it to wipe sweat off your hands or face - there’s a danger of picking up other people’s germs. Use separate towels for your body and the equipment.

To avoid the spread of fungal infections, don’t use a towel that’s been used on your feet or underarms or had contact with the floor. Wash gym towels after every use at 60 degrees - or 40 degrees with a bleach-based powder.

“Please wipe down the equipment”: We all have seen this sign, but do we really wipe after each use? Well now more than ever your life depends on it! Recent investigations have revealed after testing local health club equipment; high levels of staph, fecal matter, molds, and other germs were found in visually clean facilities. Don’t assume that your gym is clean because they have commercials on tv. You have to always assume that germs are present and do what you can to protect yourself.

Should I just avoid the gym? One should not use the germ phobia excuse as reason to skip the gym as a whole. Being forewarned is being forearmed. When it comes to protecting yourself and your immune system from these grimy germs, all it takes, for the most part, is common sense, meaning, don’t touch your eyes, ears or nose while at the gym. Good hand hygiene is a must, making sure to wash hands thoroughly before and after gym use. By attending the gym regularly you’re likely to have a stronger immune system than someone who does not work out, therefore, you can resist germs better than the general population.

You are also less likely to have an infectious disease to pass along to a fellow gym rat. By taking simple steps like these we not only are protecting ourselves, but others around us.

Gym etiquette is no longer just restacking weights and allowing someone to work in with you on sets, but now it is wiping the perspiration drops you left on the head rest and refraining from spitting in the water fountain.

So next time when you see the laminated sign, “Please wipe down after use� staring at you as you approach the treadmill or hit the mats for some abdominal crunches,

Staphylococcus, HPV, Super Germs, Infections, Germs in the Gym, Hygiene, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Gym Safety