Introduction
Everyone is concerned about maintaining their health through the right exercises and healthy food. Physical activity mainly leads to the importance of working out in the gym for more extended hours; even the celebrities or sportspersons spend their considerable time in the gym to get perfect body shape along with improving their stamina.
Many people have made going to the gym as a part of their daily routine, but you should be aware that the gym can be the breeding place for bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms. Even the gym equipment is not safe as it has germs deposited with regular use by different persons. Also, people sweat a lot in the gym while building up their bodies, and these hot conditions promote the multiplying of the germs in the equipment.
The remedies that can be practiced are using sprays or other methods to kill the harmful organisms attached to the equipment like fungus eliminator. Disease-causing agents are in large number in this place as it surrounded with this humid environment. Skin infections are the most common effect of using the equipment with bacterial or other germs as here the direct contact comes with the skin of the body.
Communicating and mingling with other people working out in the gym and also sharing the locker room increase the chance of getting skin infections. Some of the diseases that you can get with the regular interaction with the gym equipment is mentioned below:
Ringworm
Ringworm is a fungal infection attacking the top layers of skin, which is a common contagious disease affecting the skin and scalp. The virus appears as a circular rash with itchy behavior on the skin (1). Reddish appearances and has got its name with the resemblance to the shape of the ring. If not noticed at the primary stage, the infection spreads throughout the other parts of the body, causing more damage to the skin.
The sweaty skin after the exercise sections has a high chance of getting infected, and also the multiplication of the fungus will take place in this wet condition. It gets transmitted with the sharing of towels, shaking hands with each other, or while coming in contact with any surface that has the presence of the fungus.
Folliculitis
A most prevalent skin condition, where the hair follicles get inflamed as an effect of bacterial or fungal infection. It starts forming small bumps on the head, which can be irritating due to the itchy sensations, which can even result in permanent hair loss. There are various types of folliculitis and can spread to other parts at a faster rate.
Wearing sweaty clothes for a long time that can trap heat, and also the unhealthy surroundings can increase the chance of getting infected by the disease. Exercise increases the sweat levels in your body, which makes you more vulnerable to the infection. Wet condition is a favorable situation for the multiplication of germs, which is observed in the equipment in the gym. Take preventive care before the widespread of the infection by consulting the physician or with natural remedies.
Athlete’s foot
The athlete’s foot is clinically known as “Tinea Pedis,” it is a skin infection in which fungus affects the feet of the person. Different types of fungi can be the reason for the disease and can spread if come in contact with the infected area or unclean surroundings. It is commonly affecting the people whose feet get sweaty while confined inside shoes or in some other ways.
The symptoms of the disease include scaling, itching, and redness of the infected area skin, and some rare cases can happen when there can occur some blister in the skin. The breeds of the fungus have a rapid growth in the sweaty and humid environments, so gyms can be a place that is to take care of as workout causes excessive sweating scenario.
Equipment in the gym will also have the moist nature as it is used by multiple persons, and an infected person uses the machine, the rest of the people also gets into the same medical condition. Sharing things with others must be avoided entirely along with taking care of personal hygiene.
Staph infection
This skin infection is caused by the staphylococcus bacteria some times, no problems are created, but in other cases, it can become deadly. The disease gets dangerous when it enters the bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs, or heart, more profound invasions into the body turns the situation more critical.
These bacteria spread occurs in extreme temperature conditions, and it gets rapid at sweaty conditions. The probability of infection is high at the gym, so there is a need to avoid sharing pf towels and getting in contact with the unclean surfaces.
Using the equipment used by the infected person will increase the chance of getting infected as the moistness due to sweat remain in the material when used without cleaning up.
Plantar warts
This infection occurs as small growths in the body that are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV’s), usually seen at the feet. Mainly the entry of the virus is through the small cuts or wounds in the skin, so self-care is the most important that an infected person can do to prevent the spreading of the fungus. Immunity of a person mainly depends on getting the infection as everyone who gets in contact with the virus are not affected.
If a person lacks resistance, they can easily get affected by the disease. The virus is very active in moist environments, which cause the threat of the spreading of infection through the gym. People get excessive sweating as a result of the hard workouts in the gym, and the equipment will also have the moistness.
If anyone infected with the disease uses the material, the next person using it without disinfecting it has a high risk of infection. If the wounds are not covered well while in contact with the surface, the virus will enter into the body.
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Tips to avoid germs in the gym
- Don’t be so interactive while attending the gym, have limited communication with the other people around you working out.
- Try to wipe or disinfect the equipment with some sprays before starting to use it to ensure safety.
- If any wounds or cuts are there in the body, cover those parts as they can provide an easy way for the entry of germs.
- Always clean yourself before and after working out, wash hands properly, and avoid touching face unnecessarily.
- Sweaty workout clothes must be changed quickly, and the towels should not be shared with anyone else in the gym.
- Maintaining personal hygiene is essential to avoid the spread of fungus or other germs and also to stay healthy with a sound immune system.
- The people with skin infections have to be more careful to prevent the spread of germs to other healthy individuals, and they should avoid visiting gyms.
Conclusion
Body of perfect shape and health is essential as it keeps you away from the unwanted medications. But the actions taken for maintaining the body must not lead to other complications causing infections in the body, which is not the right method. Regular visits to gyms can cause some of the similar diseases by the use of equipment utilized by someone else who has the infection.
Every infection has its nature as all will not get infected by these germs. Some of the viral infections are unlikely to affect people with high immunity, so a healthy body reduces the chance of infections.
Skin infections are the toughest as it can leave permanent trouble for you in the skin, so you should always be away from the prone conditions of diseases. Once if affected by any viruses or germs, there is a big chance of the infection to return with more strength. So, people who have already experienced some of the skin infections must take special care to prevent the spread of the disease again.
If you can’t avoid the gym visits, at least take care of the preventive measures to avoid getting infections. Use some sprays to get rid of the fungal attacks, and it will be better if you can stay at your place to do the exercises. Try to stay healthy without getting exposed to disease-causing germs. Take care of the health at first hand as prevention is always better than cure.