Good hygiene habits at the gym
About five or more years ago, Allan Ahumuza, a daily gym user says the highest clientele of gyms were mostly men. However, of late, he says women have also found themselves on the gym cart. Ahumuza says while there is a category of those who go there to lose weight, others go to tone their bodies, among other reasons.
Nevertheless, he says though most gyms look neat, they are a source of different body illnesses, mostly exterior body infections that result from unhygienic places, equipment or even tendencies.
Sharing towels
Dr Umarashid Guloba of Makerere University Business School, points out the bathroom as one of the commonest places that harbour germs at the gym. Cases in point are the towels used after working out. The demerit with gym towels, he says, is that they are not washed to the required standards.
“When you use a towel that was used by someone who has any kind of skin rash such as ring worms and it was not washed thoroughly, it is most likely that you will also contract the same rash,” Dr Guloba says. To prevent this, he advises you to always carry and use personal towels whose hygiene you trust and are satisfied with.
Gym equipment
A common characteristic with most, if not all gyms, is that their equipment including exercise bikes, dumbbells, and treadmills, among others is used and shared by all customers. These are usually replaced after a long time since most of them are metallic.
“At every interval, as you change from one machine to another, wash your hands up to the wrists with soap and water before and after using that particular machine. This is important because you use your hands on every part of your body and they (hands) are more active when you are in a gym. Wash them to avoid moving bacteria from a different person onto your body,” Guloba advises.
Shafiiq Kaima, a daily gym visitor, says most gyms have stretching gym benches that are used by many people.
When working out, Kaima says people sometimes lie on the bench with sweat oozing from their bodies. He says most people in gyms work out in vests or armless undershirts and leave some of their body sweat on the bench.
“When you use the same bench without cleaning it well or laying a towel on it, you will contract the same body illnesses that the previous user has,” Kaima says, adding that investing in a personal exercise mat also prevents you from contracting various infections from the gym bench.
Carry sanitiser
Just like utensils, Kaima also observes that washing your gym attire daily protects you from bacteria and germs at the gym.
He says as you work out, your body sweat stays in your attire, which when not washed well, breeds germs and bacteria that cause illnesses. He also suggests having a soft gym bag that can be easily washed.
Dr Guloba advises that although sanitisers come at a cost, it is risky to contract illnesses deliberately that could be avoided if you carried a sanitiser every time you visit the gym. Sanitisers, he recommends, can be used not only to wipe your hands but also the machines you intend to use.
Gloves
Gloves not only prevent contraction of germs and bacteria but also protect your palms from developing blisters, especially when lifting heavy weights.
Also, Dr Guloba recommends taking a shower immediately after working out to prevent bacteria from breeding as you make your way home.
Other things to do to keep gym germs at bay include carrying a personal water bottle and showering from home, if possible before heading to the gym.
