Most students do not associate staying fit with exposing themselves to life-threatening diseases. But health clubs across the country have been arming their patrons by picking up on industry trends to kill bacteria like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a highly-resistant and deadly strain of staph infection. The Student Recreation Complex has been implementing new methods of cleaning and disinfecting its exercise equipment.   Assistant director of facilities at the UREC, Wes Thompson said, “We really want to educate our users on how to protect themselves.” The UREC has become increasingly concerned about the spread of bacterial and fungal infections because instances of MRSA have been on the rise, Thompson said. Risk factors for developing MRSA include sharing towels and exercise equipment and living in crowded conditions, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.   A year ago, the UREC started providing disinfectant wipes for users to clean equipment before and after each session, Thompson said.   He said the wipes caught on after a few months, and 90 to 95 percent of patrons use them.   “We go through them quite frequently,” Thompson said.   Tricia Milford-Hoyt, assistant director of marketing and membership, said the center recently mounted several new antibacterial hand sanitizer dispensers. She said the center encourages all patrons to wash their hands frequently.   It is important to inform freshmen, who may or may not have used a gym before, of proper gym etiquette, Milford-Hoyt said. She said new gym members learn by example, and all users should clean equipment after exercise.  “We’re really trying to be ahead of the game on industry trends,” Thompson said.  Thompson said all exercise equipment is cleaned with a disinfectant three to four times a day by student employees. Milla Budiarto, environmental studies graduate student, worked at the UREC this summer. She worked in the facility for a month before she transferred to the guest services department. Budiarto said machines were cleaned on each four-hour shift. She said her supervisor provided a checklist of which machines to disinfect. The weight machines were cleaned extensively, even the parts that probably did not see much skin contact, Budiarto said. She said she thinks the equipment is adequately cleaned.   Amy Sparrow, assistant director of Healthy Lifestyles, oversees all fitness programs at the UREC. All equipment, including mats and balls, is wiped with disinfectant at least everyday, she said.  Ellen Stretzinger, accounting sophomore, uses the exercise mats and balls at the center. She said she had not considered how the mats were cleaned.   She said she is not in the practice of wiping down the mats, although she cleans the machines she uses. Sparrow suggests using towels to avoid skin contact on mats and weight benches.   The UREC offers several yoga classes. Yoga studios across the country have become increasingly aware of sanitation practices over the past few years.   The UREC’s yoga mats are thoroughly cleaned three times a semester with a strong disinfectant because they are not made of a machine-washable material, Sparrow said.   One concern with yoga mats is that it is common practice not to wear socks. Fungal infections are easily spread in damp environments. Mats are a breeding ground for fungi because they are often sticky with sweat.   “Yoga is typically done in bare feet,” Sparrow said. “Some wear socks for the comfort level.”   Only two students wore socks at the power yoga class Sunday night.   Amy Cain, psychology sophomore, said she wears them to keep from slipping, not necessarily to avoid germs.  Catherine Sutera, geology graduate student, has been practicing yoga for four years. She said she bought her own mat soon after she started practicing.  “The whole sanitation thing bothers me,” Sutera said. Sparrow said she highly recommends students bring their own mats.   Jessica Thompson, a GroupX yoga instructor, said she owns a mat but still uses those provided by the center. She said she does not wear socks because they make her lose her balance.   Thompson said she sees some students disinfect their mats with wipes before and after each use.   “I feel like we’re being fairly effective,” she said.   The teacher said she thinks most of the bacteria are removed from the mats by the disinfectant wipes.   “If you’re really worried, bring your own equipment,” Thompson said.
—-Contact Emily Holden at [email protected]