Facts and tips for keeping your gym clean and healthy.

by Rebecca Behren
CBN Aug/Sept 2009

Cheer gyms in general promote good health—athletes show up to work out, perfect their sport and have fun. But even the most physically fit cheerleader isn’t immune to the health threats that all sports facilities face: germs and disease. Thanks to scary “superbugs” like MRSA and ubiquitous gym maladies like athlete’s foot, gyms can be a breeding ground for certain health risks. “Whenever you get groups of kids together, you are constantly dealing with the exposure to all types of illness,” says Wendy Ayers, coach and co-owner of Cheer Central Suns in Broomfield, CO.

With recent flu outbreaks, it’s especially essential now for cheer gym owners to take precautions to prevent their facilities from spreading illness—and to reassure their clientele that the gym is still a healthy place to practice.

Before you can develop a plan of action, though, it’s imperative to know the potential health hazards that are out there. Here’s the rundown:

Virus 411

Skin and Eye Infections

Athletes easily pick up these types of germs from contact with a contaminated surface.
Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection that causes flaking and itching on toes. It’s related to ringworm (tinea corporis), which causes a scaly skin ring or rash. Both can be transmitted from contact with surfaces like mats, locker-room floors, benches or showers.

Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an infection of the membranes of the eye. It can be viral, bacterial or an allergic response in origin; both bacterial and viral conjunctivitis spread easily among people. Fifth disease, or parvovirus B19, is also a contagious virus. Its characteristic symptoms are a facial rash that looks like a “slapped cheek” and a lacy, red rash on the body. It’s spread after an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Herpes gladiatorum, or “mat herpes,” is a skin infection caused by the herpes simplex type-1 virus. It’s common among athletes with close skin-to-skin contact, such as cheerleaders, wrestlers and judo players.

Staph Infections, Impetigo and MRSA

Staph infections refer to infections of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Many people have staph bacteria on the surface of their skin. A staph infection, however, happens when staph bacteria invade the body through a wound. Most of the time, staph infections are minor and heal with proper treatment. However, staph infections can be serious. Impetigo, a contagious skin infection that causes painful sores, can be caused by staph.

More dangerous are MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, infections. MRSA infections, which have the potential to be fatal, are difficult to treat because they’re caused by antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Because MRSA can spread through skin-to-skin contact, athletes in contact sports and those who share equipment are at risk. Cheerleaders are at risk because they have hand-to-hand contact and exercise in uniforms on which MRSA bacteria can live. Additionally, an athletes’ immune system can be lowered temporarily after strenuous workouts, which makes them more susceptible to infections.

Colds and Flu

The highly contagious viruses that cause colds and flu spread easily at public places like a school or gym because of the many surfaces on which the germs can live and the close interaction of athletes. According to Tina Tan, M.D., an infectious disease attending and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, “Most of these viruses are acquired by touching a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching your nose, mouth or eyes.”

Frightening new strains of the flu are making it even more important to prevent their spread. In May 2009, the H1N1 virus captured worldwide attention during the “swine flu” outbreak in North America. The H1N1 flu virus is perhaps more dangerous than the seasonal flu because it mutated from influenza found in birds and pigs—so humans don’t have any natural immunity to it. H1N1 also appeared to affect young, healthy people more severely than the seasonal flu.

Similar concerns have arisen about the bird flu, a mutation of the avian H1N1 virus, and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), a severe respiratory illness. Scientists are still working to determine the severity of these “new” viruses and how to prevent their spread among people.

Noroviruses

Noroviruses are responsible for gastroenteritis, or the “stomach flu.” Although people usually associate the transmission of these viruses with sharing food or utensils or having direct contact with a sick person, they can also be spread by touching surfaces infected with the virus and then touching one’s mouth. Sports facilities, where athletes exercise, change and sometimes snack together, can easily be the site of outbreaks of noroviruses. One way especially that athletes spread gastrointestinal infections, according to Tan, is by sharing contaminated water.

Severe Food Allergies

While food allergies are not contagious, cheer gyms can pose risks for athletes with severe allergies. Ayers explains, “We actually have an athlete in our gym who can go into a fatal allergic reaction if she’s even exposed to nut dust. If someone were to eat nuts and get them on their clothes or hands, and then touch her, the reaction could be severe.”

What You Can Do

Now that you know the germs and illnesses posing risks to your gym’s athletes, an important question still remains: How can you keep your gym and athletes healthy? Doctors, gym owners and coaches all agree that the way to fight germs and disease is prevention through impeccable hygiene and good communication. Here are their tips for keeping your cheer gym healthy:

Keep your floors, mats and surfaces clean.

“The best method for gym owners to prevent the spread of germs in their facilities is through the regular disinfecting of their equipment and mats using either a bleach-containing solution or antibacterial wipes that contain at least 60 percent alcohol,” says Dr. Tan.

So clean tumble tracks, equipment and trampolines at least once a week with antimicrobial agents, substances that kill or inhibit the growth of such microbes as bacteria, fungi or viruses. Common areas, such as the lobby and bathrooms, should be disinfected nightly with antimicrobials.

Ayers also suggests professionally cleaning your cheer floors two to three times per year and vacuuming floors three to four times per week. Mats shouldn’t be used for activities other than cheer and you should wipe mat surfaces down with an antibacterial product after each use. If your gym uses towels, make sure they are washed after each use and not shared. Recommend that your athletes refrain from wearing their cheer shoes outside of practice and competition, so as not to track more dirt and germs from the street onto your mats.

Make sanitizer part of the routine.

Hand sanitizer should be everywhere in the gym. Install hand sanitizer units in the common areas, viewing rooms, bathrooms and offices. Make sure to place dispensers directly off the gym floors and in easy reach of your athletes and coaches, and remind everybody to use them frequently. Take a note from Lea Hebert of Elite Cheer Gym in Chesterfield, MI, who requires all athletes to use hand sanitizer prior to entering the gym, and nip illnesses in the bud.

Don’t let sick athletes participate.

If any of Susan Schwartz’s ACE All-Stars of Alabama cheerleaders are running a fever, vomiting or having digestive problems, they’re not allowed to enter the gym. Athletes at Ayers’ gym who have mild illnesses can participate only if wearing a medical mask. To prevent more athletes from getting sick, contagious athletes should not attend practice if it can be helped.

Make personal hygiene a priority.

Be sure to discuss and enforce personal hygiene rules. Schwartz makes sure that all her kids and staff keep their shoes on at all times, to prevent the risk of staph infections. Dr. Tan also recommends prohibiting athletes from sharing personal items at the gym. Owners should “strongly discourage the sharing of towels, water bottles or other personal items,” Dr. Tan says. You should also encourage your athletes to always use flip-flops in shower areas and to change out of sweaty clothes and shower soon after exercising.

Educate athletes about staying healthy.

While no athlete should be blamed for getting sick, education about how to stay healthy is always a great idea. Ayers suggests promoting good health practices such as proper nutrition, sleep and hydration with all athletes. “At Cheer Central it’s a common topic of conversation and education, and our athletes have become very aware of what they can do to minimize the risk to themselves and their teammates,” she says.

Communicate about staying safe.

Communication about health risks and outbreaks is equally important. Mark Donnelly of Long Island Cheer, Inc in Ronkonkoma, NY, says it’s important to put his clientele at ease. “Parents need to be reassured that you’re taking the proper precautions to keep their children safe and healthy,” he says.

Ayers had two athletes develop fifth disease during the past season, and she responded by educating everyone about the contagious illness. She also used communication to minimize the risk to her athlete with severe nut allergies. “We constantly have to educate our athletes about washing hands, not eating nut products in their cheer clothes, and not bringing nuts into our gym.”

Even if your gym has been free from infections and illnesses so far, it’s important to keep on top of hygiene and illness prevention to protect your business and, more importantly, your athletes and staff. “It’s smarter to be proactive than to wait for the potential problem to become an actual problem,” says Donnelly.