Safety Precautions For Returning to the Gym

Across the nation, businesses that shut down during the early stages of the Coronavirus pandemic have gradually started reopening. Among them, gyms are letting members back and may even be offering group classes. If you haven’t been back yet, you may notice several significant changes.

Some of these modifications stem from a study by South Korean infectious disease experts who claim fitness centers have greater potential to spread the virus. Reflecting this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed steps gyms can take to reduce the spread.

Be Ready to Social Distance

By this stage, most people have gotten used to social distancing in their daily lives – gyms and fitness centers are no exception.

To implement the CDC and state-level recommendations, your gym may:

• Require members and employees to stand at least six feet apart, if not a greater distance for cardio and other heavy-breathing exercises.
• In terms of equipment, only every other machine may be in use or the facility may be restructured with social distancing in mind.
• Take greater precautions to avoid sharing items and equipment, including frequent wipe-downs to disinfect shared surfaces.
• Likely be staffed with fewer people to better accommodate social distancing.
• Offer personal training and group classes, but with distance measures in place. Classes may be outside or indoors with fewer people, and personal training sessions will involve no contact.
• Have employees wear face coverings and masks.
• Encourage members to stagger sessions to avoid larger groups during traditional peak hours.
• Have to contend with rules concerning capacity. Some states have capped gym and fitness center capacities at 10 to 30 percent.
• Have time limits on equipment use and may restrict how many pieces of equipment you can use during a session.

Similar to restaurants, some gyms have also implemented a reservation system to monitor the number of people using the facility at any given time. Check in advance with your gym if you need to schedule a time and duration for your session.

More Disinfecting and Cleaning

In terms of gym etiquette, it has long been considered a social courtesy to wipe down your machine after use. With facilities reopening, this process has become significantly more complicated:

• For clearly dirty surfaces, the CDC recommends washing them with soap or detergent and water, before disinfecting it with an EPA-approved solution.
• Facilities will now provide more options for members to disinfect surfaces and equipment. Beyond spray bottles, you may see disposable disinfecting wipes and gym goers may be expected to disinfect the equipment before and after use.
• High-touch items that pose challenges for cleaning, like mats and resistance bands, may be temporarily absent from the facility.
• Gyms are encouraging cashless payments to limit contact with employees and high-touch machines. If a card or cash is the only option available, you and the employee will be expected to sanitize your hands following the transaction.

Certain Common Areas Off Limits

Any place where multiple individuals would have congregated before the pandemic likely will be blocked off. These may include:

• Locker rooms, changing areas and showers
• Courts for games, like basketball practice
• Childcare facilities
• Pools, hot tubs and saunas
• Group classrooms, beyond a limited capacity

Additionally, high-contact areas may be roped off or covered, including water fountains and vending machines, excluding no-contact operations. As a result, individuals will need to bring their own water bottles to stay hydrated.

Additional Precautions

As you prepare to return to the gym, you may also experience:

• Temperature screening before entering the facility.
• Limited activities. While group sports and cardio-heavy classes may be on hold, activities with no contact (i.e. racquetball) may be approved.
• More ventilation, with open windows and fans utilized to improve air circulation.
• Variable degrees of distancing. Machines involved in cardio and weightlifting activities may be spaced up to 12 feet apart to reduce transmission. Patrons may also be situated facing away from each other.

Also, if you have a pre-existing medical condition or other factors that increase your vulnerability to COVID-19, consider continuing to work out at home to reduce your risk.
 
Currently, our physical therapy offices are all open and adhering to CDC guidelines.

Contact us to learn more about our available services.