The gym is a common place for viruses and bacterial infections to spread. For one, gyms can be crowded, so you’re packed into a confined space with other people who may be sick.
Combine that with little air flow and a lot of people touching the same equipment, and you have a recipe for illnesses and infections. In fact, one study found 63 species of bacteria on equipment, handrails and other surfaces at four Memphis-area gyms. In that study, the most common bacteria present were the ones responsible for staph infections.
What Is a Staph Infection?
Staph infections are caused by Staphylococcus, a biological category that includes more than 30 different types of bacteria. Of those, Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of a staph infection. It is also responsible for another serious condition known as toxic shock syndrome.
Many people already have staph bacteria on or in their bodies, such as on their skin or in their noses, but that does not automatically mean you’ll get a staph infection. When you have a cut or open wound, however, staph bacteria can make their way into your body, leading to an infection.
Staph bacteria can spread either from person to person or from person to object to person. Someone with staph bacteria can spread them to something like a door handle and then another person could pick up the bacteria from that object.
A staph infection most commonly affects the skin, leading to blisters, redness and swelling in the infected area, but in some cases, staph can spread into the bloodstream. From there, it can infect organs in the body and become a life-threatening issue.
While staph infections can usually be treated with an antibiotic, in some cases the treatment doesn’t work. A specific type of staph infection called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) doesn’t respond to many different antibiotics, making it challenging to treat. MRSA infections can worsen and lead to sepsis.
How Staph Spreads at the Gym
Why do bacteria like staph spread easily in the gym? Consider how staph spreads more generally—from person to person or from person to object to person. Both are common at the gym.
When you’re working out, you touch equipment like a treadmill or a barbell. Other people touch that equipment throughout the day, often with unwashed hands.
Person-to-person spread is also possible, particularly in a class setting or sport. In a pickup game of basketball, skin-to-skin contact can occur, which can spread bacteria or other germs.
Because bacteria, viruses and fungi all spread in the gym, it’s important to wash your hands, practice good hygiene and take proactive measures, such as bringing your own exercise mat and wiping down equipment before use.
Other Infections You Might Pick Up at the Gym
While staph infections are common, that’s not the only type of infection found on gym surfaces. Nearly any contagious illness, including COVID-19 and the flu, can spread through contact with others at the gym.
Skin infections are particularly common, too. Many spread more easily in warm, moist conditions common in gyms. Athlete’s foot and jock itch, for example, are both caused by a particular fungus that thrives on wet floors or sweaty clothes.
Impetigo is another skin condition common to the gym. Like athlete’s foot, it grows best in a warm, humid space. Impetigo is caused by either staph or strep bacteria that enters the body from a cut, bug bite or other break in the skin.
Plantar warts, which are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), can also crop up after a visit to the gym. HPV can infect your feet and cause these coarse warts if you spend time with bare feet in the locker room or the gym shower.
You can also get ringworm from the gym. Ringworm has nothing to do with actual worms. It is a fungal infection that spreads more easily when you’re sweaty.
Many skin infections can be effectively treated with basic at-home care, treatment through your doctor or a visit to an urgent care clinic.
You can take steps to lower your risk of picking up a gym-related infection. Watch what you touch and wash your hands often.
Experiencing symptoms you think could be related to a staph infection? Seek prompt medical attention. Need a doctor? Find one here.
