The Never-Ending Battle
This week we are going to discuss MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus). This article talks about how MRSA is one of the hardest battles an AT has to face when it comes to keeping their athletes healthy. I would like for you to read the article and tell me what you learned. How is MRSA spread? What types of habits are the athletes doing that can cause them to be more susceptible to the disease? What are teams doing to help prevent this disease from spreading? What can you do as an athlete, prospective athletic training student, or someone going into the medical field to help prevent this problem?
The Never-Ending Battle Against Sport's Hidden Foe
This assignment is due Monday, March 19th by 11:59PM. Please make sure to follow the guidelines for the assignment as stated in your syllabus.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, is spread through touching of skin and infected area. This is why preventative measures for athletes in shared showers after practice is crucial. As a football player myself we had an outbreak of MRSA at Heidelberg and in the article football players are seven to ten times more likely to have MRSA bacteria on their skin is a scary statistic. We had to cancel all activities cor football for weeks while the infected student athletes had to be treated. There are strict rules on no sharing soap and razors, that small cuts from a razor can increase risk of infection. Since an outbreak at Colgate University they spend $14,000 on an ozone machine that disinfects all athletic gear including mascot costumes and all football players are given multiple pairs of pads so at least one pair a week can be cleaned and sanitary. The biggest thing high school coaches, athletic trainers and staff are telling their student athletes are to shower immediately after practice to decrease the risk of infection and bacteria spreading. The problem with this easy tactic is some coaches say that players are afraid to shower with other players and go home without a shower. It has become more common that players do shower after practice since the education about the dangers of MRSA has been increased and players are more conscious of the risks if they don't shower. Now every sports team has educational training on MRSA and strict rules and policy about showering and cleanliness in locker rooms to decrease spread of disease. Some schools even when locker rooms are closed for the night have custodians release ozone gas into the room to sanitize it for the next day.
ReplyDeleteMRSA, also known as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is often spread by contact with an infected wound or by sharing personal items that have touched the infected skin. So obviously this disease is highly susceptible to athletes and in workout areas. A big way that athletes nowadays are highly susceptible to MRSA are not showering immediately after games and practices. Along with hygiene many teenagers and young adults have become more in body shaving leaving tiny cut that allow MRSA to invade the body and start an infection. Now with the infection becoming such a popular topic in the athletic area many schools are trying to find ways to prevent the outbreaks. It is as simple as telling the athletes to shower after each practice and to not share their items while showering. Clarion University started to use chemically treated towelettes instead of having players wipe off sweat with old, dirty towels laying on the side. One study proved that sharing towels makes it eight times more likely to get MRSA. I found the fact that some programs with the funds to do so, have an ozone gas unit to fill the locker rooms and training rooms overnight to eliminate any MRSA outbreaks in the athletic facilities. Teams and Athletic Trainers also make sure training tables and equipment making direct contact with an athlete are disinfected thoroughly and often. As an athlete and a future nurse, I can help prevent MRSA by not only taking the proper precautions mentioned before, but also sharing the precautions with others, so they can be precautious about the infection too.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a disease that though it has been on the decline in the recent years is still a scare for all athletes. It is spread by the touching of skin or touching of an infected area, typically when there is an open cut. Since MRSA is spread this way, athletes who do not take showers right after practice are a lot more susceptible. Some of the best ways for athletes themselves to prevent the spread of MRSA is to clean their bodies regularly, especially any open cuts that they have. Many colleges and high schools have started to take preventative measures within the locker rooms, training rooms, and with the equipment used. Ozone gas is being used to clean and sterilize all equipment and some schools are even going as far to have multiple pieces of equipment per player so that they will always have one that is sterilized. It is extremely important for each school to take these measures in ensuring the containment of MRSA, though some steps may seem extreme it is in the best interest of the school and the athletes. As an athlete you never think that something like this can happen to you, but it can happen to anyone so the most important thing to do is take care of yourself by showering regularly and taking all the steps to prevent the spread of MRSA.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA is spread by skin touching skin contact. This skin disease can be as severe as having to amputate a limb if the infection becomes that bad. MRSA is skin staph infection that is becoming more and more common in contact sports such as football, hockey, wrestling, etc. Some things that athletes do that can make them more suitable for the skin disease are body shaving, not showering, or not taking care of their personal gear by sanitizing them. Some teams are taking precautions to help prevent the outspread of MRSA by ozone gassing gear, having two or three sets of practice gear, sanitizing everything, and pro-athlete organizations implement a prevention manual. Someone in the medical field can help prevent MRSA by developing more stringent hygiene routines. As an athlete myself being a wrestler, it is a must that I be aware that skin infections are commonly spread in skin-to-skin contact sports. Taking personal precautions is a must. To help prevent MRSA I make sure I shower everyday right after practice using antibacterial soap, never use the same gear as the day before, and have more than one set of practice clothes.
ReplyDeleteIn the article “The Never- Ending Battle Against Sport’s Hidden Foe” it discussed the dangers of MRSA. I was able to learn that MRSA is an extremely dangerous disease and posses a deadly risk to athletes if not treated immediately. With changing society norms such as shaving, which causes micro cuts in the skin that may make an athlete more susceptible as well as an unwillingness to shower after practices, especially in high schools across the nation, comes an increase in the likelihood of an athlete contracting MRSA. Activities such as showering are an extremely important preventative measure that limits the spread of the MRSA bacteria. Sports teams like those in the NFL or Colgate University which was specifically named in the text are utilizing advanced disinfection technologies in order to kill the bacteria before it can be transmitted. Also simple solutions such as the removal of any towels that have already been used to clean sweat from an athletes face or body are immediately taken away in order to prevent other athletes from using the same towel. As a future healthcare professional, it is important that you make sure that all of your surfaces are properly disinfected after each use and take the proper precautions in order to prevent the passing of any contagious disease such as MRSA on to other patients.
ReplyDeleteMRSA is spread by skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or an infected surface that has not been sterilized. The type of habits athletes have that cause them to be susceptible to MRSA is sharing bars of soap, sharing water bottles that have not been properly sterilized, wearing gear that has not be sterilized, and not showering right away after practice. Teams are doing aggressive sterilization, buying new equipment, and sure things are clean around the facility. As an athlete I can shower regularly, not share soap or razors with other people, make sure I’m using my water bottle and towel and nobody else's to reduce the possibility of MRSA.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, is a disease often spread through athletes by contact with an infected wound or by sharing personal infected products. Although the disease has been on the decline in past years, it is still a very serious thing to pay attention too and know about. MRSA is common in contact sports, such as football, basketball, wrestling, etc. Some ways athletes can contract the disease is by sharing personal products, such as razors, with someone else, or by coming in contact with someone else's opened wound, or not showering immediately after games or practices. Many colleges and high schools are now taking preventative measures in the training rooms, locker rooms, and with all equipment to help reduce the spread of MRSA. Ozone gas is now being used to make sure that all sports equipment is sterile. Being an athletic trainer it is important to educate your athletes on MRSA and make sure that all tables and equipment that had direct contact with athletes are always disinfected often and properly. As an athlete your mindset thinks this type of thing will never happen to you, but it can, being educated on MRSA and taking preventative precautions are great ways to help lower your chances of contracting MRSA. As a future nurse I plan to educate others on MRSA to help prevent the spread of this disease.
ReplyDeleteMRSA is a disease that is usually spread through athletes that come in contact with each other often. The disease is spread through contact with an infected wound or by athletes sharing products that have come in contact with an infected wound. Some habits that athletes are doing that helps the spread of MRSA is sharing water bottles or not taking showers. It can also be spread by athletes using the same gear that has not been properly cleaned and sterilized. Teams have taken steps to stop the spread of MRSA. These steps include sterilizing every thing the athletes may share like gear and water bottles. They are also buying more equipment to ensure that not everything has to be shared. As an athlete there is many things you can do to stop the spreading of MRSA. You can take regular showers after practices and take care of open wounds. If you do have an infected wound, you should not share any thing if it has come into contact with your body. Even if you do not have MRSA you should always be wary of sharing anything with your teammates and always make sure everything is sterile before use. Hopefully as more people become aware of this disease, the spread of it will decrease.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus also known as MRSA is an infectious disease that is most commonly found with athletes because of how much contact they have with each other and how dirty they can get. MRSA can be spread because people don't shower have practices or games, through whirl pools, from open cuts, using dirty towels, and many other ways if things aren't being kept within an athletic facility. Some of the things the athletes are doing that make them more susceptible to getting MRSA is that they won't shower after a practice or game and go around dirty which makes them 10 times more likely to get it, also wearing dirty gear, sharing dirty towels, and sharing bars of soap. Many teams are starting to take a much more aggressive approach to dealing with MRSA such things include using ozone gas to decontaminate uniforms and pads instead of s=just detergent or disinfectant, also getting new washer where you can can control everything, and even have ozone gas settings, also there is a new sprays for locker rooms made of silver and hydrogen peroxide that would leave a protective coating to kill germs. Some things I can do as an athlete to help prevent this is always shower and keep my own personal stuff I wear to practice away from others and wash them thoroughly, what Athletic trainers can do is always make sure the AT room is always clean, bottles are disinfected, and whirlpools are always clean, And coaches need to make sure their athletes know the risks of MRSA and tell them how dangerous and easy it is to contract it.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus also known as MRSA is an aggressive and sometimes deadly form of staph infection that is transmitted when the bacteria comes into direct contact with the skin. These bacteria are being transmitted at higher rates among athletes because athletes come into direct contact with other people at higher rates than someone who is not in a contact sport as well athletes share showers where the MRSA bacteria likes to grow. Athletes also have habits of sharing bars of soap when they do shower in shared locker rooms as well as not showering right away after practice which allows the bacteria to remain on the hosts skin. A couple of things collegiate teams are starting to do is give out two or three sets of pads and equipment to allow one set to be sterilized at all times, as well as sterilizing water bottles nightly, and spraying locker rooms with a fog of hydrogen peroxide and sliver to leaving an antibacterial coating on every surface. As an Athletic training student there are things you can do to help prevent this issue, one of which is just simply spreading awareness of things you can do as an athlete and a staff member to keep a sterile locker room and training facility to help prevent the spread of MRSA.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is caused by a type of staph bacteria that's become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections. Athletes are very susceptible in heavy workout areas where there is a lot of sweat and other bacteria going around eberywhere. The most MRSA is happeneing is when athletes do not shower right after an event that they participated in. Teams or colleges are making it so that even a little staph breakout will hopefully never happen. The technology worldwide is getting better and better each day. They can now spray a mist in a locker room or anywhere there is a leading cause of MRSA and it covers every single surface in the room with anti bacterial material. As an athlete trainer if i knew exactly what this bacteria is and how its spread everywhere the fisrt thing i would do is to educate all of the student athletes about the bacteria and how they can try to avoid the situtation so nobody gets hurt. On the other hand hopefully I can get my hands on some good technology and make sure everything is clean always and nothing is in risk of having MRSA or anybody in that case.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, is spread through the contact of an infected wound. The chance of contracting MRSA is increased in sports with frequent skin to skin contact and by sharing personal items such as towels, razors, or water bottles. The bacteria tends to prosper in gyms and locker rooms, so athletes who don’t focus on cleanliness are more susceptible to the disease. Not showering, sharing soaps, and not taking care of open wounds increases the chance of contraction. Even shaving can cause mini abrasions where the disease can enter. In order to prevent this disease from spreading, athletes should shower immediately after practice and before any therapy, use personal bottles and towels instead of sharing with the whole team, and disinfect all equipment after use. When sharing team equipment, athletic trainers try to maintain sterilization as much as possible by thoroughly cleaning water bottles, disinfecting training tables, and implementing rules to reduce spread of MRSA. Some teams have invested in higher tech laundry systems with chemical disinfectants are injected into the washing cycle and high speed water extractors are used to reduce dampness for bacteria to fester. As an athlete and someone going into the medical field, I can assist in preventing the spread of MRSA by staying up to date on the disease and keeping others around me informed.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, better known as MRSA, is an infection athletes are highly susceptible to. When infected, MRSA is spread through skin to skin contact as well as sharing gear or reusing gear. Athletes that fail to shower immediately following practice or a game are more likely to come in contact with the disease, and then more likely to spread the disease. Athletes who shave regularly are also susceptible, because shaving can often cause small cuts or abrasions on the skin which makes it easier for the bacteria to spread from one person to another. Athletic teams are doing everything in their power to prevent the development and spread of MRSA such as using ozone gas to sterilize used equipment. Some teams offer multiple sets of equipment, ensuring there is always a clean, sterile set for each athlete. In these cases, an athlete should not be using equipment that has already been used either by themselves or by a teammate. Teams are also sanitizing water bottles daily to keep their athletes safe. Athletes are also advised to shower following practice and games and to not share shower materials. Athletes must do their part to ensure their health by following certain hygiene standards. Medical professionals should inform athletes of the dangers of MRSA and provide the knowledge on how to stay healthy. It is important to do everything possible to prevent the spread of MRSA as it can be difficult to treat and can lead to death.
ReplyDeleteMRSA is a staph infection that at times can be fatal. During intense contact sports like football and wrestling, serve as a major breeding ground for MRSA. Football players have a much higher rate of getting the infection that the general public. Coaches and health professionals highly recommend showering after practices and games, to prevent the spread of MRSA. MRSA is spread by contact with an infected wound to another person’s skin, or with shared items like towels and razors. Ways that MRSA can be prevented is through the use of ozone gas, as opposed to water or detergent to disinfect athletes’ gear. Some colleges also give athletes more than one pair of pads to their athletes, typically two or three, so one pair can be sanitized. Some schools have installed the ozone gas sanitizing machines, Bowdoin College has not had a MRSA case since the installment about 10 years ago. With that much success they’ve even considered installing an ozone gas transmission system into the heating and air-conditioning ducts in locker rooms and training rooms. Ways that I could help prevent the spread of MRSA would be to educate myself as well as others about the dangers and prevention strategies for MRSA.
ReplyDeleteMRSA, Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, is a form of a staph infection, but resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infection. MRSA has become a major problem for athletic trainers and sports teams. It is spread by skin to skin contact, the sharing of gear, or reusing gear without washing it. As you can guess athletes are at a high risk of contracting MRSA, and athletes that are in contact sports are at a higher risk. This disease is extremely easily spread and it is very dangerous, even fatal. One of the best and easiest ways to prevent contracting MRSA is to shower immediately after practice and games. It is important not to share soap or towels. Athletes that shave regularly are at a higher risk because shaving can create small abrasions that the MRSA can enter. Colgate University purchased a machine that uses ozone gas to disinfect their athletes gear. Now that MRSA has become more popular schools are trying to do whatever they can to protect their athletes. The biggest and best way to help protect athletes and yourself to to be religious about hygiene and not sharing items with anyone. As a future healthcare provider it is important that people are educated about MRSA and know how they can protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteOne way MRSA can spread is by having an open cut and making skin-to-skin contact with someone else. One habit athletes are doing that can cause them to be more susceptible to the disease are they do not shower after the practice or game. They need to shower to get all the bad bacteria they may have been exposed to during the game or practice. One way the teams are doing to help prevent this disease from spreading is making the athletes shower before entering a ice bath. Another thing the teams are doing is buying multiple practice and game gear so that they have clean equipment every game. Another thing is they are getting high-tech laundry systems. Theses have chemical disinfectant injections, high speed water extractors and synchronized cycles that assiduously monitor water levels and temperatures. They also have ozone gas that cycle around the locker rooms. As an athlete some things I can do to help prevent this problem are make sure my teammates and I shower after practice and games and make sure we wash the equipment every day before reusing it. As someone that is going into the medical field I can do more research on MRSA and find ways to help prevent it even more.
ReplyDeleteI learned that MRSA is an infectious disease that can be life threatening and sometimes fatal. This disease is one that is easily spread in the athletic community most often due to skin -to-skin contact. You can contract it by close contact to others with the bacteria, showers, locker rooms, shared bottles, or wet clothes. Places that bacteria are easily shared in an area that is often used a lot. Athletes can put themselves into situations that cause them to be at higher risk such as sharing bottles to drink from with each other, not showering after practice and games, not cleaning cuts and scrapes frequently or enough. Athletes could not be washing their uniforms after use, even sharing the same bar of soap, when shaving legs having more open wounds more often makes an athlete more susceptible. Teams are not wasting any time with making sure everything is more sterile to decreases the ability to harbor bacteria. Most teams are taking the information and using different sanitation protocols in hopes to diminish the MRSA bacteria. Things such as doing body examinations for sports that have a lot of skin-to-skin contact such as wrestling. Also making sure that athletic facilities are more sanitized and frequently cleaned to try to reduce the number of bacteria. Having multiple sets of pads and jerseys so that the athletes have new sanitized pads and things for each game or practice to limit exposure. As the athlete they can make sure that they keep up with personal hygiene and if they have any questionable spots to ask and athletic trainer or coach as soon as possible to try to not have the issue get out of hand if there are cases. Also, be aware or your surroundings, always shower after games and practices. Try to limit sharing items because that is an easy way to put yourself more at risk to contract MRSA. As an athletic training student or someone going into the medical field you can prevent MRSA by follow specific sanitation protocols. Reporting anything that could pose a threat to others and yourself to try to resolve it before getting out of hand. Enforcing showering after games and practices. Spreading knowledge about the infection and ways to prevent it to the athletes or patients.
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ReplyDeleteMRSA is spread through skin to skin contact. Incidents as simple as minor shaving cuts can be a main spot for infection. Many sports involve skin to skin contact, so it's important for athletes to always shower and disinfect. Football continues to be a breeding ground for the disease because there is so much contact for the bacteria to spread and infect. NFL players are 7 t 10 times more likely to develop MRSA. Some athletes do not like to shower with other players after games or practices. This is making them much more susceptible to the disease because showers diminish the chance of exposure to MRSA. Athletes being uneducated about MRSA can make their chance of getting the disease higher because they may not take simple precautionary measures or walk around with open wounds. Teams are also beginning to require their players to shower and buying players their own specific water bottles to avoid sharing. Chemically treated towelettes are also beginning to be used and disposed after each use to avoid sharing and chance of infection. High tech laundry systems and ozone gas machines are also being put in place at colleges and high schools to disinfect jerseys and equipment. I can help prevent his problem by taking precautionary measures as much as possible for myself. I can always wash my hands, shower after practices and games, cover my open wounds, and always do my dirty laundry. I can also educate others about the risks of MRSA and how to prevent it.
MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, is bacteria that is resistant to many medications, making it’s infections particularly difficult to treat. It is transmitted through direct contact with the infected area, or by touching materials that had previous contact with the infected area. Athletes participating in contact sports such as football or wrestling are more likely to be infected, with football players being seven to ten times more likely to be infected (according to the article). Some athletes also unintentionally do things on and off the field that increase their risk, such as: sharing towels, shaving with disposable razors, not showering after practice, and sharing water bottles. Athletic training and coaching staff have come up with new ways to help prevent the spread of MRSA, such as: installing proper laundry care, shaping the culture of the facility to respect cleanliness at all times, having people collect towels on the sidelines to prevent sharing, making sure all athletes seek out appropriate medical help for lesions and abrasions, and instituting proper MRSA education for all athletes and staff. As a future medical student and a prospective athletic training student, I can help prevent the spread MRSA by following all guidelines set forth by Heidelberg and NATA, educating others, and- most importantly- keeping as clean as possible!
ReplyDeleteMRSA or known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. MRSA is most frequently found in contact sports as it is transmitted through direct contact. MRSA is spread through cuts and amid frequent skin-to-skin contact. Some ways athletes can spread this bacteria is by not showering after games and practices, shaving and cutting themselves while doing so, and not cleaning their equipment after using it. Teams are doing a lot to prevent this by washing their athletes equipment after games and practices, cleaning the locker room and gym frequently, and Colgate University used a machine that uses ozone gas to eliminate bacteria on all of their athletes equipment. This is what most universities should do to eliminate any chance of MRSA spreading. According to the article they will start gassing the locker rooms and gyms to eliminate any left over bacteria. As an athlete and an athletic trainer I can personally shower after every game and practice, wash all my clothes I wore during this time, and disinfect all my sports equipment. As an athletic trainer I can make sure my teammates do the same. I feel like here at Heidelberg we do a great job at preventing MRSA from spreading.
ReplyDeleteThis article is mainly referring to Colgate University and how they dealt with a MRSA outbreak. However this article also talks about how MRSA is common among football players and is a huge problem, but has decreased in case size over the last decade. This article shares how the university bought a machine for disinfecting the athletes gear to prevent this disease from spreading. They also improved their sanitation routines for their athletes, such as water bottles being sanitized nightly and having multiple sets of equipment to use. This disease is spread from skin to skin contact where one of the skin surfaces is infected. The behaviors that the athletes implement to cause this spread would be sharing bars of soap, towels or razors. One way that athletes can prevent the spread of MRSA would be to simply take a shower after practices and games. A way that I could help prevent this outbreak since I am going into the medical field would be to educate patients about the outcomes of infectious behaviors. A way that athletic training students can help fight this outbreak is to highly encourage healthy behaviors in regards to showering after practice and cleaning equipment properly.
ReplyDeleteThis New York Times article, written by Bill Pennington, in my opinion was very informative. Before reading the article, I never thought about MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) infection being deadly. The article really shed light on this problem. It (the article) did not go too much into detail in the science behind MRSA, but it did talk a lot about how schools are taking preventative measures to make sure they do not contract an outbreak. Pennington describes the ozone gas machines that schools have to disinfect their players gear and equipment. That is something I definitely have never heard of. It is very interesting that people can use ozone gas to help with something like an infection. I am not sure what MRSA really is, and how it can be deadly, but it is great that more schools are taking these measures to keep their athletes and students more safe. Pennington writes; “The disease has disabled some athletes, cutting short their careers, and the most severe cases have been fatal,” and to me, that is terrifying. As athlete myself this can be a real concern. Playing tennis isn’t as bad as other sports, in the sense that we don’t all go to the same locker room after practices. Meaning that MRSA has a lower chance of spreading for us.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or which is also referred to as MRSA is an infection that can put someone's life at risk. It all starts with a simple cut on ones leg to start the pathway of a horrible disease. It can be transmitted easily through athletes when the sport contains contact, however anyone can be acceptable to getting this infection. MRSA was commonly found in hospitals but soon made a breakaway through sports 20 some years ago. MRSA will always be around as long as we live but there are many steps that we can take in order to put a stop to it. Saying this won’t make everyone want to participate in helping just like how some athletes will refuse to take showers after practices or games. Or they don’t realize something is becoming infected and they will ignore the signs which will then led to the infection spreading. Cleaning the equipment, uniforms and water bottles can also be a big factor in putting a decrease in an outbreak later on. Also another good way to ending this infection is by educating the athletes, coaches or even just the parents of the kids can help spread the awareness of how bad this disease can ruin someone's life. MRSA isn’t something to just let slide by because doing that can put so much harm in one’s life.
ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an infectious, hard-to-treat disease that is common among athletes and athletic facilities. MRSA is resistant to commonly used antibiotics, which makes it harder to treat. This disease can be spread many ways including through skin to skin contact, whirlpools or training tables, or simply wherever the bacteria has traveled to. Say if an athlete who has MRSA on an open wound and travels throughout campus, sitting on chairs, rubbing up against objects while walking, the bacteria is spreading and can lead to an outbreak. Although the percentage of MRSA cases has decreased in the past century, athletes are continuing to use practices that allow them to become more susceptible to this infection. These practices can including not showering after practice or games, which is very important due to the amount of dirt, sweat, and germs that accumulate on athletes during activity. Another practice is body shaving, which causes cuts and open wounds that make it easy for MRSA to attach. Teams across the nation have stepped up their game when it comes to cleanliness of the athletes, the facility, the equipment, and even the uniforms. Some teams have switched from larger towels that get washed every night to smaller chemically treated towels that are thrown away after use. Washing uniforms and sanitizing equipment such as a player’s gear or water bottles daily has been an effective way of preventing this spread. As an athlete, I can help prevent this infection by showering after practice and going to see an Athletic Trainer or the nurses with any open wounds or questionable cuts/lacerations. I can help prevent the spread by being a very clean wrestler because throughout my years of wrestling, I have seen many cases that are really bad. Reasons for this are they won't shower right after practice or there coaches don't give them skin checks to see if there opponent has anything wrong with them. Also use a skin prevention soap such as hibiclens to shower to clean out any cuts you receive. I have had some skin infections before such as staph infection and ringworm. I think they are so gross and ever since than I have been extra careful and some infections can be deadly which scares me.
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ReplyDeleteMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA is caused by bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics that are regularing used to create staph infections. About 20 years ago, MRSA started to affect athletes in contact sports. Before this, MRSA was mostly found in hospitals and clinics. There are many different factors that can cause MRSA. Everyday human activities such as shaving, which can cause tiny cuts can increase risk of infection. Not showering and using the same towel as another person can also increase the risk of getting MRSA. MRSA is a never ending fight because of the fact there will always be bacteria in gyms, locker rooms and in skin to skin contact sports. Even though we can never get rid of all bacteria, we can try to prevent ourselves from getting MRSA. Showering, using different water bottles and towles, high tech laundry systems and Ozone gas machines are all things that can help prevent athletes from getting MRSA. Even though athletic trainers and doctors have said that MRSA cases have decreased in the last decade, it is still a problem. MRSA has disabled many athletes and even been fatal for some over the years. As athletes we have to do our jobs in trying to prevent ourselves and others from getting MRSA, due to us being in high bacterial places and in skin to skin contact with other people.
MRSA, also known as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is spread where bacteria can flourish in crowded gyms and locker rooms, and amid frequent skin-to-skin contact on the playing field. This disease has been able to end careers for athletes, as well as even become fatal for some. Many teams make sure to not share things that bacteria can pass through easily, like a bar of soap. Teams sterilize water bottles nightly, athletes get two or three sets of equipment that are always sanitized and even mascot costumes are sprayed with ozone gas constantly to ty and keep MRSA away. One of the big things that go unnoticed is body shaving with athletes. It is noticed now that body shaving has become a wide thing within the younger generation but what they don’t notice is that the tiny cuts that can come with shaving can also allow MRSA to spread and grow. What we’ve learned is that many high schools, colleges, and professional teams have taken big strides in trying to keep MRSA away but no one ever officially knows what goes on within a locker room because research has not been specifically done on just sports teams and their environments. One thing that I have personally gained knowledge of from this article is how difficult it is to get athletes to shower and even when they do shower they share towels and other shower utensils that can easily spread MRSA. Main point is that athletes need to shower on a daily basis and use their own personal belongings and always try to keep everything that they use or make sure that it is sterilized to prevent MRSA.
ReplyDeletemethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or better know as MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to many of the antibiotics that are offered today. MRSA can be caused from many different things but the main way it is spread is through skin to skin contact, which is why it is more prominent in the wrestling community. The disease can also be spread by many other ways which could be caused from razor burns and open wounds. Some of the ways athletes are spreading this disease is by not washing themselves well enough and not taking all of the important precaution that are needed. Teams are going through many training sessions today that teach them how to prevent MRSA and how to spot and treat them and who to contact it to get back to their sport. As an athlete and Athletic Trainer you can learn how to prevent and treat the disease when it is in full effect on the athlete. There is a new machine that was created to help prevent the spread of disease within areas of heavy use for athletes and other people who like to work out. MRSA can be prevented in may ways but it is a hard disease to keep up with.
ReplyDeleteOne way that MRSA is spread is from direct skin-to-skin contact. Also having tiny cuts that aren’t covered allow the increase of the infection according to NATA. Types of habits athletes are doing that make them more susceptible to the disease are no showering after practices and games and lack of hand washing, also using dirty towels after one another. To prevent this disease from spreading teams are using more expensive machines that use ozone gas to disinfect all the athlete’s gear and making sure all water bottles are sterilized daily, another thing is issuing out more equipment for contact sports that require them to go through more, so they are always clean. As an athlete I can make sure I’m following the rules using proper hygiene to try and prevent getting anything that could potentially be spreading. And as for someone going into the medical field I can spread the knowledge of the disease and the severity of it, by explaining that if not taken seriously it could be the end of anybody’s sports career or maybe even worse if not detected early enough. Also, just keeping up with any medical facilities and their developing hygiene routines that help to reduce the prevalence of MRSA.
ReplyDeleteMRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, is a disease caused by bacteria that is spread from skin to skin contact. Because of the nature of locker rooms and contact sports, athletes are at a higher risk of contracting this disease. As an athlete myself I am aware of, but not worried about, MRSA because my sport is non contact and my team does not have a locker room. Athletes and/or active individuals can contract this disease by not cleaning exercise equipment, not showering after exercise, sharing towels, clothes, gear, water bottles etc. Because locker rooms and athletes get so dirty is it important that we keep them as clean as sterile as possible. As an athletic training student there are certain precautions I should take. They include: making sure that the athletes and myself come into the athletic training room (ATR) clean, do NOT share towels, gear, water bottles etc., wash clothing, and use ozone gas machines if possible. There are even newer, more advanced, precautions that have been unveiled. A fog containing a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and silver is the newest “weapon” against this disease. Since MRSA is resistant to antibiotics it is extremely important that every possible precaution is taken. Stopping it before it even happens should be the goal.
ReplyDeleteThe lifestyle of an athlete is always a burden when it comes to cleanliness, especially ones that are contact sports. The germ that has athletic trainers taking most precaution is the germ called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, otherwise known as MRSA. Due to years of antibiotics, the MRSA germ has evolved to become resistant to most of them. This is spread through body contact with an infected wound, skin or bodily fluids. This can also be spread through sharing personal items such as washing and drying towels and especially sharing razors. Athletes can get it from sharing equipment through contact with it. The college of Colgate University started to use preventative techniques with ozone gas all over their equipment and lockers. Its so important because if it goes untreated, it can even be fatal. Many athletes overlook MRSA and this is the worst thing to do. MRSA is one of the things that is stressed very highly at our own university here at Heidelberg. MRSA can not only ruin an athletes season because they have to be pulled because it has to be treated right away, but if overlooked can be highly dangerous. To prevent this, the most important thing is knowing what MRSA actually is and not being afraid of asking if it is something that you might think that you have. Proper cleaning techniques is also very important in stopping the spread of this.
ReplyDeleteMRSA is most commonly spread through an open cut or through skin-to-skin contact, it is commonly found in contact sports. Many athletes make this major mistake by getting a small blister or even a small cut and just shower and don't clean out the cut and then it becomes infected. But it can also be spread from sharing towels, razors, Colgate University took this situation very seriously by cleaning all sports equipment with ozone gas and making sure the sports equipment was disinfected and so were their lockers. Here at Heidelberg University MRSA is very stressed each season we MUST attend the MRSA meeting with the other sports teams and it not the only time that it is stressed to us athletes our ATs also stress the facts about MRSA and make sure that we get all of our wounds cleaned out and taken care of. Proper cleaning is the number one thing to stop the spreading is MRSA. Every athlete should take this into careful consideration and make sure that they properly take care of themselves.
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