The purpose of visiting a health club or signing up for a gym membership is to keep fit and stay healthy. But this is normally undermined when one goes to the health clubs and picks up an infection, due to either improper sanitation at the gym or failure to take care of their personal hygiene. A number of health clubs and gyms have put in place various measures to keep the sanitation of their facility in good condition, such as having gym wipes antibacterial in the washrooms, but still, there are certain types of infections that one might still pick no matter what levels of sanitation the facility might have. Here are some of the common ones and how to avoid them.
Athlete’s foot and ring worms are fungal infections which cause itchiness and rashes on the skin and in between the toes respectively. They are transmitted by direct contact through sharing items such as exercise equipment, towels, weights, exercise balls etc. The fungi that cause these infections thrive in damp places like shower rooms, locker rooms, swimming pools and even steam rooms. Therefore, take caution while using such facilities in the health club to minimize your chances of getting infected.
MRSA
This is the abbreviation for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococus Aureus. It’s an infection that is resistant to most antibiotics which makes it very difficult to treat. It majorly affects the skin and causes it to itch a lot amidst other types of irritations. MSRA is also known to attack the respiratory systems making it difficult for the patient to breathe freely. The places where you are likely to contract MRSA while in the health club can include the seats of the elliptical machines, locker rooms, exercise mats, as well as weight benches. Before you take up on such equipment in the gym, you can disinfect them using gym wipes antibacterial to kill any germs that may have been left by the previous user in order to reduce your chances of contracting the disease.
Flu and Pneumonia
Flu is caused by a virus while pneumonia is caused by bacteria. They share the same mode of transmission, as all of them are airborne. In gyms and health clubs, they are likely to be contracted where there is a group activity and in places such as the sauna and the shower areas. For you to be safe, don’t be where so many people are crowded in the gym and avoid going to the gym if you are infected so that you don’t spread it to other people.
