What are your gym goals? Is it to shave off that last stubborn ten pounds that never seems to disappear? Are you hoping to simply avoid scaring off fellow bathers at the beach? Maybe it’s just all about looking good for the upcoming wedding. Whatever the goal, the last thing you want to bring home from the gym is an infection. Although you might not like to think about it, your gym is a veritable breeding ground for germs. Probably a lot worse that working in a cubicle next to someone with a cold or flying in a plane during flu season. Does this mean you should wear a surgical mask during your next work out? You don’t have to go that extreme but there are precautions you can take to minimize the risk of infection.
Clean Down the Equipment
Depending on the popularity of your gym, there are certain pieces of equipment that will be in constant use. Even though you might be able to slip in a set you will be following dozens of other users since the last official “wipe down.” That is why you need to be in charge of cleaning the equipment for yourself. A quick wipe with a hand towel might not do the trick. Many gyms provide sanitizers and paper towels. Use them. Short of that, you can also carry your own wipes. The goal is a wipe with 60% alcohol or more.
Don’t Share
From an early age, we were taught to share during playtime. You can forget all about that once you join a gym. If you’re taking any kind of class involving a mat, you would be well advised to bring your own. The same holds true for towels. Even if the gym provides towels that they clean themselves, you’re still better off bringing in your own gym towel that you wash after each use.
Shower Up
The more strenuous the work out, the more you’re going to sweat. That’s actually a good thing. A bad thing is walking around in those sweaty gym outfits. You should shower immediately after a workout using your own soap and shampoo.
As you make your way through the locker room, you should also be wearing flip-flops or shower shoes. This is where you pick up the fungal infection that leads to the dreaded athlete’s foot. Make sure you completely dry off your feet after the shower and keep your flip-flops separate from your clothes. A big plastic bag will do the trick.
Cover Up the Cuts
It doesn’t take much for a cut to become infected by a microscopic germ. That’s why they call them germs. Before going to the gym, make sure any cuts on your hands or legs get the Band-aid treatment. You should also avoid the sauna or whirlpool if you have a cut or scrape.
Above all else, stay in tune with your body. You might enjoy the transformation you’ve going through as all that hard work begins to pay off. However, you should also keep an eye out for redness or tenderness around a cut, bruise of scratch. That could be the early indications of an infection and you’ll want to nip it in the bud.
*Our content is not intended to provide medical advice or diagnosis of individual problems or circumstances, nor should it be implied that we are a substitute for professional medical advice. Users / readers are always advised to consult their Healthcare Professional prior to starting any new remedy, therapy or treatment. Your Wellness Group accepts no liability in the event you, a user of n-gage and a reader of this article, suffers a loss as a result of reliance upon or inappropriate application of the information.
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