By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D.
When athletes suit up for their sport of choice, winning is at the forefront of their minds. Long rigorous training to become the best tends to be the focus, however, behind the activity at play it’s important to know how to keep yourself healthy whether that’s staying in good shape or shielding yourself from ailments such as ringworm that could be waiting in the locker room.
Athletes who play contact sports or find themselves meeting their competition on the mat are more at risk for developing ringworm. In fact, skin infections, particularly in athletes, account for up to 10 percent of time-loss injuries in some sports.
So, how can you participate in the sports you love, while protecting your skin at the same time? Let us help shed some light on “How to Prevent Ringworm in Athletes” below.
How Do You Contract Ringworm?
It’s important to understand that ringworm is a skin infection that is caused by a fungus. It appears as a rash in the shape of a ring on the skin and is caused by a fungi called dermatophytes that is commonly found on the skin, hair and nail beds.
Athletes are more at risk to contract ringworm due to the conditions in which they find themselves whether that’s showering and changing in a locker room, coming into contact in sports such as football, basketball, and judo, or being exposed to the fungus on a mat in sports such as wrestling or gymnastics.
This is because ringworm thrives in damp areas like locker rooms, public showers, sweat covered wrestling mats and sports equipment. If you find yourself in any of these conditions, it’s imperative to take a few safety measures.
Tips To Avoid Ringworm
So, what can you do?
First off, make sure to keep your skin clean and dry. As an athlete, we realize it’s impossible to not get sweaty, which is why you should shower immediately after your practice or match. Additionally, always make sure to wear shoes in locker rooms or public showers.
When it comes to your sports equipment, make sure to keep your gear clean and dry and avoid sharing your pads, helmets, and towels with other athletes.
Proper protocols for cleaning and treating public mats should be a no-brainer but be aware of where you are practicing your sport. Lastly, keep in mind that the more skin that you cover with rash guards and clothing the less likely you’ll come into direct contact with ringworm.
How To Treat Ringworm?
If you have done all the above, but still find yourself dealing with ringworm, there are ways to treat it quickly and naturally.
At Forces Of Nature, our natural ringworm product works to treat your infection by applying it three times a day for immediate relief of redness and itching. When using our product, most infections will completely disappear in 1 to 3 weeks.
