The gym can be full of germs – here’s how to protect yourself

Exercise is good for you – but the gym might not be.

Dumbbells, barbells and every machine in between can act as reservoirs for a wide variety of transmissible bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens – such as impegito, flu and athlete’s foot. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to lower your risk of encountering these germs during your next workout.

By far, the most germ-rich areas in any gym are places that are warm and wet – such as saunas, showers, swimming pools or hot tubs.

But many other parts of the gym are also riddled with germs – including on the equipment you might use every time you go.

Basically anywhere there’s sweat, there are probably germs.

Sweat is a complex mixture of various substances – including vitamins, mineral salts, lactic acid, amino acids and lipids. This makes it an excellent nutrient source for bacteria and fungi – even after it dries. This means any sweat that drips off of you (or other gymgoers) can be used by bacteria and germs to help them grow.

Disease-causing bacteria, fungi and viruses have been found everywhere – from gym floors and door handles, weights and barbells, cardio machines, bicycle and treadmill handlebars, benches, chairs and exercise mats. The most common disease-causing bacteria found in gym germ profiling studies were those that cause skin infections – such as Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria which can cause MRSA.

Stomach infections are also a risk, as pathogens such as Salmonella (which causes sickness, diarrhoea and vomiting) have been found on gym equipment.

A notice to clean equipment at the Southgate Fusion Lifestyle Gym in London, Britain, 12 April 2021. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL

Germs can also be spread when we cough or breathe – and we tend to breathe a lot more heavily than normal while working out. This means any viruses living in our saliva and respiratory tract can be expelled into the air and onto the surfaces around us.

Research shows that a range of common viral infections, including rhinovirus (the common cold), influenza, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, can all persist in the air of an enclosed gym for hours. They can also remain on hard surfaces for up to several days.

The clothes you wear to the gym may also increase your risk of getting sick. Many of us work out with our skin uncovered so we don’t overheat. But this leaves us at risk of picking up a range of different skin infections after visiting the gym.

Some of the most common infections include Tinea fungal infections (such as ringworm and athlete’s foot), Human papillomavirus (which causes Plantar warts), as well as impetigo and other skin rashes caused by Staphylococcus. These infections might be contracted from the locker room, shower or hot tub.

Keeping gym germs at bay

While the gym may be full of germs, thankfully there is a lot you can do to protect yourself from infections.

Ideally, all exercise equipment should be sanitised frequently. Although gym managers are supposed to clean exercise equipment on a regular basis, this equipment should ideally be sanitised after every user as germs can persist in an infectable state on plastic, steel and other polymer hard surfaces for hours to weeks – and even months. It’s a good idea to use an antiseptic wipe to disinfect the surface of any equipment you’re going to use before and after your touch it. This will protect other users as well.

Dustin Bennett uses disinfectant to clean equipment after working out at CrossFit Apollo on May 29, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after visiting the gym is a must as hands are a vector for acquiring germs. If this isn’t possible, you can use a hand sanitiser containing at least 70% alcohol before and during your workout and after leaving the gym.

Bacteria thrive on damp towels and locker room and shower floors, so never share towels, combs or razors. Never walk barefoot in a gym either to avoid the germs living on gym or shower room floors.

To protect yourself against airborne viruses that might be found in the gym, get vaccinated and wash your hands before and after your workout. It would also help to wear a face mask and distance yourself from other gym users where possible.

To prevent skin infections, always cover any cuts or scratches with a dressing. Also, showering after your workout and putting on clean clothes is both refreshing and an effective way of removing any skin germs picked up during exercise.

Finally, don’t forget to think about the hygiene of your gym kit bag, as it holds all our germ-heavy towels and exercise clothes. To reduce germ build-up and smells, it will need to be sanitised every use or two. DM 

This story was first published in The Conversation. Primrose Freestone is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester.