A staph infection is a type of bacteria commonly found on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. In fact, according to the CDC, 30% of people carry staph and don’t even know it. MRSA is a type of staph infection that is a bit more serious in nature because it is resistant to commonly used antibiotics that help fight off the infection.
Dermatologists are finding that MRSA infections have become increasingly common among high school and college athletes. Anyone participating in organized sports should be aware of the signs of a staph infection. In addition, preventative measures should be taken to ensure you are protecting yourself on and off the field.

5 Signs of a Staph Infection
•Patches of skin that are red, swollen, painful, or have pus.
•Lymph nodes in the armpits, neck, or groin becoming swollen or tender.
•A scrape or cut that is sore, swollen or feeling hot.
•Boils or other skin lumps.
•Peeling, blistering, or scaling of skin.

Preventative Measures
Staph infections are generally spread from person to person by direct skin contact or contact with shared items such as gym equipment. Below are a few things you can do too protect yourself against getting a staph infection.
•Wash your hands frequently.
•Never share towels with other athletes.
•Shower immediately after participating in a sporting activity.
•Wash your towels and uniforms in hot water and dry on the hottest cycle
•Establish routine cleaning schedules for shared equipment


Use Gear Bags That Kill Bacteria
An additional precaution you can take is to eliminate your wet, smelly infectious gear with PowerDry® gear bags from Shock Doctor. The PowerDry® system not only dries, it refreshes and deodorizes with ionization and ozone that can help reduce bacteria on equipment inside the bag. Consistent and frequent drying helps eliminates the moist environment that allows microbes to grow. By protecting yourself against staph infections you can help to protect others.