Teens: Watch Out—Health Alerts for Teens
Did you know your gym shorts could give you a disease?
Do you wash your gym shorts or uniform every time you use it? How about the practice jerseys you wear in scrimmages or in gym class. By not properly washing your clothes and practicing good hygiene, you are putting yourself at risk for an MRSA infection.
MRSA is a type of Staph germ that is hard to treat with commonly used medicine. Because of resistance, MRSA can lead to life threatening blood or bone infections. MRSA looks like a spider bite. Symptoms include redness, warmth, swelling, pus, skin tenderness, pimples, boils or blisters.
MRSA is spread almost always by direct physical contact. It can also be spread through towels, sheets, workout areas and sports equipment that have the MRSA germs on them.
By not practicing good hygiene you are putting yourself at risk. Use our following guidelines to stay healthy:
· Do not share razors, towels, uniforms or sports equipment such as mats
· Clean and disinfect objects, such as gym equipment, before use
· Wash dirty clothes, linens and towels with hot water and laundry detergent
· Avoid using unnecessary antibiotics
· Keep your hand clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water
· Keep cuts clean and bandaged until they are healed.
Is your backpack right for you?
Did you know that by not carrying your backpack correctly, you could be headed for some major back pain?
Make sure to carry a 2-shoulder backpack and to distribute the weight of your books evenly. A 1-shoulder approach could have you headed for trouble. Also, pick out the right pack for you. Fit your pack appropriately by measuring your torso length by starting at the 7th vertebra - this where the bony protrusion is at the base of your neck, and measure to the small of your back (level with your hip bones).
18 inches and less = small size suspension on your back pack
18-20 inches = medium
21 inches and more = large size
According to the national program "Backpack Safety America," you should look for padded shoulder straps to avoid pressure on the nerves around the armpits. The maximum weight of a backpack should not exceed 15 percent of your weight. If the pack forces you to lean forward, it's overloaded.
WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/teens/watch_outhealth_alerts_for_tee_1.php