Fedor Knows the Importance of Good Hygiene
Fight dirty on the streets, but in the ring we need to keep it clean. Grappling is a dirty game. Hygiene is critical! There are all types of skin born pathogens in even the cleanest gym. The big two you’ll hear about are Staph and Ringworm, but they’re not alone. You can also end up with herpes, pink eye, impetigo or MRSA. Staph bacteria is found just about everywhere you can think of. Anything from the cash in your wallet to the keyboard sitting in front of you. The bacteria is part of many people’s normal skin fauna. There is virtually no way to avoid contact with it. Ringworm is less common in day to day activities, but is commonplace in the gym. With ringworm, there are reports that someone can be contagious for two weeks before showing symptoms! There are also reports of some who can carry the fungus without ever exhibiting symptoms. That means that your training partner could give you the worm, even if you don’t see it. I know this is a little doom and gloom, but there are things you can do to safeguard yourself.
Prevention: The best way to prevent infection is to always show up freshly showered, with nails trimmed and wearing clean gear. I highly recommend purchasing gear that is used exclusively for training. It doesn’t have to break the bank, but here is some merit to owning several pair of sturdy grappling shorts and rash guards. If you don’t know where to start, OTM makes some great ones. I say several only to avoid doing laundry several times a week, but hey…if lavender laundry soap and dryer sheets are your thing, what can I say? As far as rash guards are concerned, I suggest long sleeves, because less skin-to-skin contact decreases your chances of infection. Unfortunately long sleeves can decrease but not eliminate your chances. This means showing up clean and getting clean afterwords are equally important. If your gym has facilities, shower at the gym. Wash any little scrapes and mat burns right away. The less time a bacteria or fungus is in contact with your skin, the better. With ringworm you have about 30 minutes before the fungus takes hold. Showering when you get home could be too late. Also, be sure to pack up all of your gear before you shower. Touching all of that gear after you’ve showered defeats the purpose. If your gym doesn’t have a shower facility, use a product like Defense Wipes or hand sanitizer to clean any scrapes or burns right away, but remember that you run the risk of possibly contaminating your car, your home, or worse, your wife or girlfriend. Trust me when I say, giving your wife ringworm will not do anything for your sex life!
Treatment: If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation where you have been infected, STAY HOME! Do not. I repeat, do not go to the gym. It is just plain inconsiderate. If you’re in an MMA gym there is a solid chance that at least some of the guys put bread on their table by fighting. An infection can cost them valuable training time and ultimately money. That being said, any of these things will have you sidelined for about two weeks IF you treat them properly. Treat them improperly and you could end up hospitalized or worse.
Ringworm is pretty easy to treat, but you should probably warm up to the idea of that lavender laundry soap because you’ll be doing heaps of laundry. First things first, make a run down to your local pharmacy and pick up some Lamisil ointment. If you’re this far, I know you can read, so RTFD and follow them. What the directions might not mention is the need to change your linen daily to avoid spreading it to other parts of your body. There is an oral form of Lamisil available if you’re in a real hurry. It can potentially reduce the recovery time to three days, but you’ll have to endure a liver toxicity test to get a prescription. If you’re not heading to Abu Dhabi or Worlds, I would skip this option.
Staph and MRSA are a different story. If you train and you think you have a “spider bite,” think again. I have a hundred bucks that says your “spider bite” is actually a staph infection. Hell, if I had a nickle for every time I heard someone claim they had a “spider bite” that “turned into” a staph infection I’d have a lot more than a hundred bucks. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go directly to the doctor. If you can’t get a next day appointment, go to urgent care. You need antibiotics! It will not go away on its own. Trust me. Same goes for that itchy irritation from your beard. If that lasts longer than normal, chances are you have impetigo. This also calls for antibiotics. Don’t think you need to go to the doctor? Click the link below and reconsider. After training for a while, you might feel like this stuff just comes with the territory. It does, but it can also be deadly serious. If you have any questions, always consult a medical professional.
I thought I would post some images of staph infections and ringworm, but they are too disgusting. If you can stomach it, check here.
