NATIONWIDE -- A trip to the gym may not be as good for your health as you thought.
According to a recently released study by Fitrated.com, the average treadmill, free weight and exercise bike contain more than one million bacteria cells per square inch apiece, 70 percent of which are potentially harmful to humans.
In addition, the study revealed that an average treadmill contains 74 times more bacteria than a public bathroom water faucet, an exercise bike contains 39 times more bacteria than a reusable cafeteria tray and an average free weight contains 362 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
To conduct the study, FitRated swabbed more than 27 pieces of gym equipment at three different gyms.
Though the findings are startling, no need to write off your gym membership altogether.
FitRated shared the following tips to protect yourself:
-Always wipe down equipment before and after use
-Wash hands immediately after a workout
-Never touch your hands to your face during a workout
-Change out of your gym clothes immediately after a workout
-Never walk around a gym barefoot
-If all else fails, consider investing in home gym equipment
To view the full study, visit Examining Gym Cleanliness.