Dr Kunal Sood: Why Wiping Gym Equipment Prevents Ringworm. In a recent Instagram post on July 17, Dr. Kunal Sood, a double board-certified physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine, explains why wiping gym equipment is crucial for preventing ringworm infections. Going to the gym regularly is healthy, but shared spaces require specific hygiene steps, including wiping down equipment before and after use. This habit not only keeps gear clean but also prevents skin infections like ringworm, as Dr. Sood details.
Ringworm, despite its name, is a fungal infection, not a worm. Dr. Sood notes it spreads through direct skin contact, shared towels, locker room floors, and contaminated gym surfaces. Chair benches, mats, and towels can spread fungus when sweaty skin keeps touching the same surfaces, he says. Warm, sweaty environments allow fungus to survive, and friction from workouts can create tiny skin breaks, making infection easier to catch.
Diagnosing ringworm can be challenging. Dr. Sood explains, Ringworm often shows up as an itchy red scaly patch that slowly expands, and it does not always form the perfect ring people expect. This makes post-gym rashes confusing, as they can resemble irritation, acne, eczema, or a fungal infection. Early diagnosis is key to avoiding discomfort.
To prevent ringworm, Dr. Sood shares four simple steps: wipe down equipment before and after use, avoid shared towels, wear shower shoes in locker rooms, and change out sweaty clothes promptly. He cautions, If a rash keeps spreading, itches, or does not improve, getting it checked matters because steroid creams can sometimes make fungal infections even worse. Ultimately, the goal is protecting your skin from infections that spread through shared surfaces, not just keeping the gym clean.