If you use any of the University's gyms - or any gym for that matter - you have probably noticed many, though not all, of the patrons diligently wiping down the machines with disinfectant wipes. Most people, driven by a sense of responsibility or altruism, wipe down a machine after they use it as a courtesy to the next patron to use that machine.
The vast majority of the people I observe doing this, however, wipe down the seat and backrest, but not the handles. I doubt I will catch someone else's viruses through my pants, so this seems to do a lot for the self-esteem of the person using the wipe but nothing for the next patron.
Of the few whom I do observe wiping off the handles, nearly none of them wipe the knobs or weights so it is still a pointless task. Besides, even if everyone did all of those things correctly: What about the free weights and exercise balls, not to mention the floor mats, door knobs, TV buttons, cubbies, handrails and everything else?
So, I am wondering about four questions regarding the use of these disinfectant wipes. First, what quantity of wipes is being used at all these gyms? Most of the people I observe use a wipe for one machine, toss it and use another for each machine they use subsequently in their workout. That in itself is foolish.
But never mind the number of trees cut down to make all these little fibrous towels and the amount of landfill space they occupy. I am more concerned about the gallons of chemical residues they are leaching into the groundwater, killing off valuable environmental bacteria, protists and invertebrates. These wipes better be accomplishing some very positive outcome if we are willing to do continuous damage to our most precious resource.
Furthermore, these wipes do not kill off all pathogens, just 99 percent or so. This leaves only the unaffected ones to colonize without competition - a sure-fire way to produce an artificial directional selection in favor of resistant strains.
Secondly, what type of infections are we hoping to reduce? Presumably, because the use of these wipes increases and is more actively encouraged by gym management during the winter, we are trying to reduce the rate of seasonal flu and common cold transmission. Well, that makes no sense whatsoever, because these diseases are caused primarily by airborne pathogens. Thus, disinfecting surfaces will not cut down on the rate of infection. Rather, we would have to all wear masks and wear them everywhere, not just at the gym.
But, for the sake of argument, let us say we are at least cutting down on the number of bacterial infections commonly transmitted across surfaces. These are less frequent but, yes, they are on the rise. If this is the story, then here is the third question: Is the rate of such infections lower among gym users as compared to other local groups?
If I had to bet, I would be inclined to say that it probably is. Gym users seem to be a healthier-than-average crowd, and not just in the muscle-and-aerobic department. If the vast majority of wipe-users are doing this disinfecting task incorrectly, however, then it could not be these chemically-laden cloths that are making the difference. So, if not, what is?
That is our last question: What is really reducing the infection rate among gym users? Most likely it is because the gym users - by their nature more aware of good health practices and perhaps even a bit more aware in general than the average folks - do the other common sense things that keep them from getting sick. In addition to exercising, they also probably eat right and get good rest, and all these practices stimulate their immune functions. But most of all, they probably also wash their hands regularly, keep their hands away from their faces and avoid the kinds of party environments where infections are most readily spread.
So, perhaps the fifth question should be: Do we need to pollute the environment with these wipes to be safe from pathogens, or are they simply making us feel safer? In other words, do we think we are safer when really we were already OK without them? There is an excellent dissertation project in this for some psychology or public health student.
Dr. Stan Willenbring is a Biology professor at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.
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