The gym is a great place to exercise. The gym is a great place to meet new people; possibly even your next romantic connection. But did you know that the locker room of that gym harbors many infections? How can you avoid them and remain healthy? Here are some tips to help you.
Never Go Barefoot At The Gym
Athlete’s foot can be easily gotten at the gym. The simple way to acquire this condition is by walking barefoot in the shower and locker room area. This condition can cause itchiness and peeling of the skin around your toes, in between your toes and at the bottoms of your feet.
To keep from getting athlete’s foot, simply wear socks or shoes of some sort while showering or walking in the locker room area of the gym. You can also purchase special shower shoes to wear in these areas.
Jock Itch
Contrary to what many believe, both men and women can get jock itch. It is a simple itch that occurs in one’s groin area. This itch is caused by sweating. To keep this itch from occurring, simply wear loose fitting clothes while exercising, wash right after exercising, and try your best to keep this area clean and dry.
Ringworm
Ringworm can be contagious. It can be spread by person to person and by pets to their owners. They can also be spread by using the towels, combs or other personal items of an infected person. They are not, however, caused by worms.
When one has the condition known as ringworm, the person will have a raised, red, itchy, circular type infection. This area can be found anywhere on the body or the scalp. The infection is known as fungal medication and is usually treated with a fungal type cream. Your doctor can recommend the best one for you.
No, these conditions should not keep you out of the gym. They should just mean that you should take better care with your hygiene habits before and after exercising. Use some common sense approaches such as:
Always wear clean clothes Make sure all equipment is clean before using it Never share personal items such as towels and combs with others Do not walk barefoot anywhere in the gym Wash your exercise clothes after wearing
If you follow the above tips, you will not only enjoy your exercise routines more, you should stay healthier and infection free.
Sources:
Web.md