Six Gym Health Hazards

This article is a gross exaggeration and borders on paranoia. Of course maintain reasonable body cleanliness and take reasonable care, but for heaven's sake don't behave as if everyone around you is going to infect you (unless you're going to one heck of a dirty gym). A healthy body can handle most encounters with germs -- so stop worrying about it. Just take reasonable (that???s REASONABLE) care without going overboard.

I live in a bubble,so I dont have your problems.I have what I need in here.My food is sent thru the vent,vacuumed sealed and fresh.I have a toothbrush,a backup toothbrush and backup bristles for my backup toothbrush.I use hotel soaps,unopened of course,because they are a one time use and toss.I drink only one kind of water since I know where it comes from.lol!!!!!!

Article doesn't attempt to recreate the wheel. We all have been tought from childhood that practicing good hygene in public places like gym is imperative. However, if you are tempted by convenience of walking barefoot in gym shower and locker rooms like me, this article is a good reminder not to do so.

Is "housewives" an insult. I'm proud to be a housewife and I also don't gossip. Talk about small minded. Just let your anger go buddy, it will all be ok.

It is not paranoia. A friend of mine has MRSA and is currently in the hospital in critical condition. The doctors say she contracted it from the gym that she goes to.

I don't see it as obsession AT ALL. I took my son to day care at the gym. That same night (before midnight) he was sick, throwing up and with high temperature. Next day at the Doctor's office he had pink eye infection, strep throat, stomach bacteria that had him throwing up for 24 hours and an ear infection. Now that is filthy. He goes to public school and he has never been sick with anything more that a cold.
To get such a cocktail of different germ happens only with bad hygiene. This is what you get when you don???t wipe down equipment and toys covered in body fluids (i.e. saliva, sweat, etc.)
All it takes to prevent things like that its a little education and less ignorance!

Article doesn't attempt to recreate the wheel. We all have been tought from childhood that practicing good hygene in public places like gym is imperative. However, if you are tempted by convenience of walking barefoot in gym shower and locker rooms like me, this article is a good reminder not to do so.

I live in a bubble,so I dont have to worry about germs.My food is vacuumed packed and fresh.I have plenty of things in here.I have my toothbrush,my backup toothbrush and my back up bristles for my backup toothbrush.I have hotel bar soaps that I use only once,and I never use a pillow case more than once. lol!!!!

i actually got MRSA from someone at the gym and its horrible i use hand sanitizer where ever i go and the doctor told me its not how you can get it its like how do you not get it the mrsa bacteria will hide in your nose and wait till you have an opening on your body and infect it then youll have to go to the hospital theyll have to preform an operation to drain it and thats is sooo painful, you can get this infection easier than cold germs not to mention my son got it too from me he is only 1 year and they had to cut his too to drain it i had to bleach my house and disinfect everything so you tell me you ignorant people who think going to the gym to be healthy is better than getting this yes its good to go to the gym but all this article is saying is be careful ans disinfect everything so you are aware of whats out there you idiots who left comments under me!!!!

There is some god advice in here. I am a young healthy man who contracted the dangerous MRSA staff infection from my gymn. I has a very minor abraison on the inside of my leg and thought nothing of it. After finishing my workout I went into the steam room as always. The long and short of it was that oversight on my part caused my six days in the hospital, 2,500 deductible on my health insurance, and two weeks of work missed. At least I lived to talk about it...a physician I knew of wasn't so lucky.

As a gym owner in Round Rock, Texas, I can agree with some of the comments listed below. I suggest you find a small facility with a limited number of members. Less members less chance of infectious germs. A small facility that provides its members with disinfectant and cleaning solutions to wipe down each piece of equipment when they finish and need be wipe down before you use it. Health and Fitness is what we are promoting, so health and germ free is a must. So take note and take care of yourself. If the management won't take care of it's business then it should be a no brainer to take care of it yourself. All fitness facilities should provide its members with a disinfectant cleaning solution for the safety of all.

This is one of the stupidest things I have ever read. You can get sick at any place you go to! Some one could write this same article about anything- the library, the day spa, the grocery store, the post office, the movie theater, a restaurant, a clothing store, ANYTHING! And oh, my, how dare those actual atheletes be sweating! Cause that's just icky! This is a very small minded article writen by somebody who is one of those house wives that go to the gym to gossip, maybe do some dance or yoga, etc. WELL NEWSFLASH! That is not what the gym is for, its for working out and yes, sweating. I doubt any of you contracted diseases from the gym, it just paranoia.

Article doesn't attempt to recreate the wheel. We all have been tought from childhood that practicing good hygene in public places like gym is imperative. However, if you are tempted by convenience of walking barefoot in gym shower and locker rooms like me, this article is a good reminder not to do so.

I definitely agree with taking the extra precautions on gym habits. Gyms are now providing disinfectant solutions for members to use before and after each equipment use but staff need to remind members that this is available. Most members may not be aware of this. I only discovered this as I notice a few people using it. For new members, upon sign-up and general info., staff inform and stress the importance of these disinfectant sprays. Maybe signs should be posted on the walls and equipment as a constant reminder of these sprays. The tips that you also listed should be posted in several areas of the gym.

What about water fountains? Should you always bring your own bottled water?

I work out at a YMCA and everyone there is very courteous. Everyone always wipes down the machines, b/c they know they will get a dirty look if they don't! I don't touch the machines a lot anyway b/c I run on the treadmill, but when I do the bike, I always wipe down first b/c I have seen people not wipe the seat - and that is the grossest thing if you sat in butt sweat!

This info is obvious anyone with enough common sense should already know this. These tips should apply to anything you do not just the gym. The real hazards are not being familiar the equip. and bad form which could injure your lower back also it doesn't say you should was your hands regurlarly! duh.

The Obsession with avoiding germs is that in any envirement where many different people are dripping sweat, aka- expressing a body fluid, you are exposed to a possible breeding ground for germs and bacteria. I know somone who contracted a staph infection on his back from working out at 24hour fitness. In fact, there was a small group of people who develped infections from tht particualr gym, causing the managment to do a thurough re-clean and enstate notice of using the disinfectant.
Oh, and just wiping the sweat off is not enough. Yes the puddle is not gone, but wait, now you have forcibly inbedded the germs into the pores of the seat cushion so that they may breed and infect from their cosy little home in that seat. Im not saying its epedemic, but people need to take basic precautions when exposing themselves to a samll envirenment that is frequented by a large amount of people with varying health/cleanliness states and standards.
Spray the damn disinfectant and put the towel onto the bench before you sit!!