Germs are everywhere....even on exercise equipment. One of
the most common complaints around the Ping Center is, “why do we have
to wear shirts with sleeves when working out in the free weight room or
cardio room?” The answer to this question is much more significant
than, “because that’s the rule!” Some of you may have
heard about the recent outbreaks of MRSA at two Columbus-area high school
weight rooms. So what is MRSA and how does that relate to wearing a shirt
with sleeves to workout at Ping? Here are the answers!
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or antibiotic resistant
staph) is a bacteria that can cause infections to different areas of the
body. It is much more difficult to treat and can be more serious than other
forms of staph because it is immune to most commonly used antibiotics that
are used to treat staph infections.
Most forms of staph are bacteria that already live inside the body and many
people carry it, on the skin or in the nose, without actually being infected
by it. However, once the staph enters the body through a cut, it can cause
an infection that can become serious if left untreated. Most forms of staph
are easily treated with antibiotics and do not cause any serious problems.
Over the years, however, some forms of staph have become resistant to the
usual antibiotics.
MRSA is spread just like a normal bacteria, through skin contact or through
contaminated objects. So, it could be spread in the weight room or in the
cardio room, passed from bench to bench or machine to machine. Anyone who
has an open cut could possibly contract the infection if it enters into
the body through the cut. So it is important to keep as much of the body
covered and protected as possible when using community weight and cardio
equipment. Thus, the policy of wearing a shirt with sleeves in the weight
room and cardio room!
Depending on the seriousness of the condition, if contracted, treatment
could range from having to put an antibiotic ointment on the infected area,
to having it surgically drained, to hospitalization.
Recommendations for protecting yourself from infectious germs while
working out:
**Wear shirts with sleeves.
**Wipe equipment before and after each use! The Ping Center provides spray
bottles and towels available in each room to clean off equipment; by cleaning
before and after each use you are protecting yourself and others.
**Use a towel as an additional barrier between your skin and the equipment,
using the same side toward your skin each time.
**Frequent hand washing is the single-most effective measure to decrease
the spread of illness/infection. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water
several times a day. In the absence of water, use a hand sanitizer.
**Cover all wounds until they are healed. See a doctor if the wound appears
to get rapidly worse with increased redness, swelling, drainage, heat and
pain around that wound, or if, in addition you experience headache, fatigue
or fever.
**Do not share personal items that touch the skin, such as towels, washcloths,
clothing, uniforms, bar soap or razors.
**Wash towels, uniforms, and practice clothing after each use.
**Shower with soap and water as soon as possible after direct contact sports
and use a clean towel.
Additional information can be obtained from:
Center
for Disease Control
Mayo
Clinic