Experts: Infections rampant in gym setting

NEW YORK, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The local gym is a good place to exercise -- and also a good place to pick up skin infections from exercise equipment and shower facilities, a U.S. group says.

The National Athletic Trainers' Association issued a report on the causes, prevention and treatment of skin diseases in athletes that should be taken to heart by anyone who works out in a communal setting, be it a school, commercial gym or athletic club, The New York Times reported Friday.

Skin infections can spread like wildfire in athletic settings, health experts say.

They recommend precautions such as hand washing before and after using equipment, taking a clean mat for floor exercises and showering with antibacterial soap.

"It's what we all learned -- or should have learned -- in sixth-grade health class," Steven M. Zinder, a trainer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said to the Times. "It's all common sense. You need to keep yourself and your equipment clean. You never know who last used the equipment in a gym. It can be a great breeding ground for these bugs, some of which are pretty nasty."