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Make sure to avoid sharing towels, clothing or anything someone
else has used without washing them first. Any contact sport has a higher
possibility of contracting a mrsa. Ice hockey is especially high for
contracting mrsa. Do not share shin pads or equipment that has not been
cleaned properly. Your chances of catching a staph infection from a open cut
or sore on your skin is very high. Football and lacrosse players can also
catch staph infections from dirty equipment.
If you are into wrestling make sure the school uses an antimicrobial
agents to clean the wrestling mats. You need to clean your equipment at
least once a month to reduce the chances of getting a stapf infection. Staph
can be found in body fluids, blood, sweat and can hide in your sports gear
that come into contact with your skin especially if you have a cut or open
sore. If you like to lift weights you need to wipe down the benches and
weight equipment with a antimicrobial cloth which is usually provided.
You can spray the equipment with a disinfecting spray especially the
equipment that gets high usage where people sweat. You should always wear
flip flops in the shower room these are high traffic, damp areas that will
contain the bacteria that can spread staph infections to your feet and ankle
areas. You should always get your equipment cleaned they are companies that
can clean them for you. Most ice rinks and other sports facilities will have
a machine such as a Sanisport or a local business with a Esporta machine.
The Centers for Disease Control which you can access online has more
information on where there have been outbreaks of staph and mrsa in your
area. If you suspect you have a infection you should consult with your
doctor or go to an emergency room right away, a bad infection can be fatal.
This is very important don't wait get to a doctor right away.
How to protect yourself from blood borne pathogens
We are all exposed to infectious diseases. However, our bodies are
powerful and can fight off most of the infections without us even getting
sick. The most common blood borne pathogens include hepatitis B, C and HIV.
For someone who works in the healthcare setting or even in an office, here
are some ways to prevent the transmission of these infectious diseases. You
should always wear rubber gloves. If an individual is bleeding or is
seeping any sort of bodily fluid you need to wear gloves. This is very
important and should not be ignored. You should treat everybody like they
have HIV, even if they do not it is just a serious precaution. This way you
are safe, you must protect yourself.
Immediately wash your hands after removing the gloves and wash anywhere
that has come in contact with fluids. If there is blood on clothes, be sure
to clean the blood completely off before that person returns to play. Any
materials towels, gauze, gloves with fluids, blood, pus, on them should be
disposed of in a biohazard container.
Hydrogen peroxide is a good item to use to get blood of clothing keep a
bottle in a first aide kit. If CPR is needed, use a barrier if you have
one. There are several mouthpieces, masks, and valves available so mouth to
mouth does not involve direct contact.
Treatment tables, benches, floors, or playing surfaces should be
disinfected daily especially after an injured person has use or been treated
on it. All health care professionals should have the Hepatitis B vaccine.
This will prevent the spread as well. Carry hand sanitizer and wipes with
you to practice and all athletic events. This will prevent you from having
to leave the area to wash your hands. Any razors, needles, scalpels, and
blades need to be disposed of in a red "sharps" container after use.
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