Dumbest article I have ever seen: Germs at the Gym

Cre8veLifeR

In Fitness Magazine. Germs at the Gym - what to watch out for so you don't get cooties, I mean germs.

'Your fitness club's dirty little secret: Bugs that cause colds and flu, athlete's foot, and skin infections are everywhere. Here's how to protect yourself.

1. Barbells, Dumbbells, and weight machines are germy: Wipe equipment with disinfectant before and after you use it. No spray at your gym? Carry antibacterial gel and rub it on your hands before and after your workout.

2. The locker room is a petri dish: Always wear flip-flops in the locker room and shower; avoid sitting on the bench unclothed. (damn!)

3. Floor mats are germy: Bring your own mat and don't share it. After each use, clean the mat with a bleach-based wipe or a 60 percent alcohol disinfectant spray and let it air-dry.

In other words, THE GYM will make you sick. :laugh:

How about just wash your hands after your workout, and try not to put your fingers in your mouth or pick your nose before then?

:laugh: Carry on. ((and now someone who got sick from the gym can tell me off and inform me that gyms ARE dirty and that his is NOT funny....)

Greenrun99

The gym is a really dirty place to go most of the time.. but its more people that have no manners or common sense that make it that way.. you would think you don't need a sign that says "Wipe off your sweat after use" but yet you do.. Or cover your mouth when sneezing/coughing but less people do that nowadays..
and the Locker rooms around prime time are the biggest disasters... flush the damn toilet when your done and don't piss all over the floor.

Derpes

goodnamegone

They have disinfectant gel that I use every time I leave and I always am careful not to touch my eyes or my nose or my mouth. I move away if someone has clearly got a cold and wants to work out near me. I can't afford to get a cold since it means I can't work. But this is the same for supermarkets too! Traveling as well.. Plus most of us are extra healthy right now so we are in a good place.

asimmons221

go get infected and come back to your post.

LeanButNotMean44

I had MRSA in my arm that I am certain I contracted at the gym. It really IS a germy place, but it just means I take special care to wash my hands and not put them near my face before doing so. It's really just common sense, IMHO.

Rage_Phish

The statements in the article all seem factual to me, and it states the germs CAN cause illness, infection etc, which also is true. Not sure why you consider it dumb. Because it's all obvious info?

mortuseon

To be honest, I agree with the article somewhat. It's just polite to spray down the equipment and wipe it after you've sweated all over it, and I'd expect someone to do the same for me.

TheGymGypsy

In all seriousness I did get a staph infection from a stationary bike and it was not fun. Wipe down your equipment before and after you use it!

MireyGal76

The boxing club I go to...

Sweaty people hit each other and the sweat sprays everywhere
Sweaty people throw sweat covered medicine balls at each other
Sweaty people sweat on a mat covered floor, and then other sweaty people drop and plank or crunch on it

Sweaty people wrestle with each other
Sweaty people share machines in fast switches without *gasp* wiping the machines down


Sweaty people are everywhere, and sweat is everywhere.

And yet...


I haven't died... yet.

Trechechus

I hate this rampant germ-phobia garbage. So far my immune system has taken pretty good care of me, and I'd rather be sick once in a while from regular strains of illness, than from anti-biotic resistant superbugs. Thanks.

Cre8veLifeR

The statements in the article all seem factual to me, and it states the germs CAN cause illness, infection etc, which also is true. Not sure why you consider it dumb. Because it's all obvious info?

Exactly!! Because it's common sense! Of course the gym is a filthy cess pool on infectious germs! People sweat and have their hands, which have been God knows where, on everything! Do we need to be told this?

I forget that people have no common sense, and as someone else mentioned, are totally rude when it comes to sneezing, wiping off your sweat, not wiping your snotty nose with your hand and then touching that barbell....

I wear weight gloves, and like I said, wash my hands right when I am done working out.

kobiemom

I'm a nurse and I agree with the article. I've seen several cases of MRSA in high school kids from the gym. We see several cases of ringworm a week in gym rats - especially people who use gym mats. Take a hot, soapy shower after you work out.

DesireeNL

Well, according to dr. Oz you should also open doors with your elbows, put plastic bags around a hotel room remote control, and be aware of all the dangers that you encounter in the (dum-dum!) supermarket! :noway: Who knew there are germs on vegetables and bread and basically everything other humans touch! *gasp*

But yes, common sense: wipe off the equipment, wash your hands and take a shower after exercising

ldrosophila

Not sure if it's a dumb article, but it's an obvious article. Humans are festering germ factories you combine that with flaking skin cells, sweat, saliva, and other body fluids and you have a nice medium for growing bacteria.

Hence the lesson of the day...

WASH YOUR HANDS!


oh and dont sit your naked genitals on a random bench...that was a good lesson too

Cre8veLifeR

Well, according to dr. Oz you should also open doors with your elbows, put plastic bags around a hotel room remote control, and be aware of all the dangers that you encounter in the (dum-dum!) supermarket! :noway: Who knew there are germs on vegetables and bread and basically everything other humans touch! *gasp*

I need to move into a bubble.

eric_sg61

How did all the old-time bodybuilders training in dungeon style gyms survive.

ldrosophila

I'm a nurse and I agree with the article. I've seen several cases of MRSA in high school kids from the gym. We see several cases of ringworm a week in gym rats - especially people who use gym mats. Take a hot, soapy shower after you work out.

EEEEK!! ring worm and MRSA????? Are you seeing any fungal infections?

Cre8veLifeR

Hence the lesson of the day...

WASH YOUR HANDS!


oh and dont sit your naked genitals on a random bench...that was a good lesson too

We ladies need to carry those little liners they put in bathing suit bottoms when you are trying those on - which, by the way, are really gross if you think about it.

Mslmesq

Hmmm, didn't seem that dumb to me. Having got athletes foot from the gym, I strongly concur with the advice of flip flops even in the shower. Athletes foot is disgusting to look at, smells, and takes forever to get rid of. Really pissed me off that I got it from a high-end gym I pay a fortune to be a member at too. :-/

I know you didn't like the article, but thanks for re-posting anyways. Some will get some good advice from it. And btw, that is also good advice on washing your hands. ;-)

Some_Watery_Tart

Hmmm, didn't seem that dumb to me. Having got athletes foot from the gym, I strongly concur with the advice of flip flops even in the shower. Athletes foot is disgusting to look at, smells, and takes forever to get rid of. Really pissed me off that I got it from a high-end gym I pay a fortune to be a member at too. :-/

I know you didn't like the article, but thanks for re-posting anyways. Some will get some good advice from it. And btw, that is also good advice on washing your hands. ;-)

Too bad no one told the germs that it was a high-end gym. Stupid uneducated germs. Sheesh.

Mr_Bad_Example

OP - if this is the dumbest article you've ever read, then you haven't read too many articles.

Mslmesq

Hmmm, didn't seem that dumb to me. Having got athletes foot from the gym, I strongly concur with the advice of flip flops even in the shower. Athletes foot is disgusting to look at, smells, and takes forever to get rid of. Really pissed me off that I got it from a high-end gym I pay a fortune to be a member at too. :-/

I know you didn't like the article, but thanks for re-posting anyways. Some will get some good advice from it. And btw, that is also good advice on washing your hands. ;-)

Too bad no one told the germs that it was a high-end gym. Stupid uneducated germs. Sheesh.

I know right?! ;-)

rgugs13

I don't know why you are scoffing at this. Granted, all people should be courteous and clean their equipment, etc, but I still see people walk out of the bathroom without washing hands, so it isn't so unbelievable they wouldn't clean equipment. Awareness of the problem is how you fix it, which is the aim of the article. You have to find the happy balance between public safety and common sense. Despite all this, there is evidence of disease spreading through fitness facilities all the time.

Ringworm was a pretty common occurrence for a lot of the wrestlers in my high school, even though they cleaned the mats with bleach water, and gyms usually see an upswing in attendance in the winter months, which also happen to be when lots of people come down with colds and the flu. If you push on for a workout when you aren't feeling that great, then come down with the flu a day or 2 later, you most likely exposed everybody at the gym to your flu. I'm fortunate in that I almost never get athlete's foot, but my dad always complained about getting at home because I spread it from the school locker room.

If that article helps even one person remember to wash their hands or clean their equipment, then it is doing its job.