How To Protect Yourself From MRSA In Gyms, Health Clubs

Link: How To Protect Yourself From MRSA In Gyms, Health Clubs.

"There is no doubt that MRSA and other infections can be transmitted without direct person-to-person contact," said Parada, who is also medical director of the infection control program at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood. "Although it's low, it is possible to catch MRSA by using shared gym equipment like free weights or exercise cycles. The first step in preventing the spread of any type of infection is awareness of the possibility." Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals and in other healthcare settings but the number of community-associated cases is rising in the United States, Parada said. Currently, between 5 to 10 percent of people are infected, and it is not known when that number will plateau. "If we were dealing with something that virtually nobody had, then it wouldn't be a big deal," Parada said. "The problem with the MRSA epidemic in the community is you don't know when you're going to touch something that somebody with MRSA touched." Given the conditions, MRSA can survive for hours, even days on the surface of gym equipment and other inanimate objects, Parada said. "All germs' survival depend on if the surface they're on is dry or wet and if the surface is warm versus cold," Parada said. "In general, what's true for most germs is dry germs have shorter lives and wet germs have longer lives." For the most part, the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks of catching MRSA, Parada said. However, there are steps you can take that can minimize your chances of catching MRSA from an inanimate object in a gym. For instance, you should always use clothing or a towel as a barrier between your skin and shared equipment, such as weight-training machines, wrestling or yoga mats and sauna and locker room benches. Also, customers should insist that the gym have antiseptic wipes readily available to be used to clean equipment before and after each use.