6 Ways to Avoid Infections at the Gym – On Fitness (usnews.com).
Doctors say the benefits of exercise far outweigh the small chance of acquiring staph or another infection at the gym or in the course of your fitness routine. And, they say, you can take some common-sense steps to protect yourself:
* Make sure the equipment is clean. Most exercisers won’t have a lot of intimate contact with other gym-goers. But they will use the same exercise balls, spinning bikes, and weight machines. Gyms are supposed to regularly clean off the equipment, but you should take your own precautions. “Emphasize hygiene as much as you can,” says Richard Wenzel, chair of the department of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University and expert on antibiotic-resistant infections. Wiping a machine off with a hand towel is not sufficient. Many gyms have their own disposable wipe dispensers. If yours doesn’t, you can buy your own wipes; anything with at least 60 percent alcohol is ideal.
