APPENDIX 4 |
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LOCKER-ROOM HYGIENE
Locker rooms, shower rooms and other athletic-club facilities can provide an ideal environment for harmful germs to grow and spread. Many bacteria and fungi thrive in dark, moist environments such as these, and crowded facilities enable germs to spread easily from person to person. Following are some suggestions to help you minimize your risk of illness.
Shower with soap and warm water as soon as possible after each workout. If you avoid or delay showers, you leave yourself susceptible to WORKOUT-BREAKOUT--a skin condition caused when dry sweat plugs the openings of sweat glands. Moreover, warm showers make you feel better and disperse some of the accumulated lactic acid near muscles that sometimes causes muscle soreness.
After each shower, use a clean towel that has been laundered with very hot water and detergent in a home or commercial laundry.
Never share someone's towel. Unhygienic towels can spread disease such as pink eye, skin eruptions, virus infections or fungus infections.
Bring your own stool to sit on, if possible. Store your stool in your locker when not in use. Avoid sitting on benches used by others. A damp bench can harbor bacteria, virus, and fungal infections, spreading them easily from one person to another. If you must sit on benches, dry off first and put your clothes on before doing so.
Wear shoes whenever possible in the locker room. After showering, dry your feet last. Make sure you dry carefully between the toes, and dust your feet with non-prescription antifungal powder to help prevent athlete's foot.
Avoid touching team members or other persons who share the athletic facilities, especially during outbreaks of colds or the flu. When you can't avoid touching others, wash your hands with soap and warm water before putting fingers or food touched by fingers into your mouth. Colds, flu and other viruses are more likely to be spread by hand-to-mouth contact than by breathing air contaminated with sneezes and coughs.
Lockers must be well-ventilated to reduce odors and to enable athletic clothing and equipment to dry. Locker rooms should have automatic temperature and ventilation controls. Spray your locker with an antiseptic spray at least once a week.
Insist that shower rooms and floors of locker rooms be periodically treated with antiseptic solutions.
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