Skin infections account for up to 10% of time-loss injuries in some sports and can cause serious illness. Skin infections can be spread from one athlete to another. You can help protect athletes from becoming sick or losing playing time due to skin infections.
Skin infections can lead to:
Lost playing time
Scarring, sometimes on face
Wounds or rashes that keep recurring
Rarely, serious life-threatening infections if not treated quickly
The three most important skin infections are:
Staphylococcus aureus “Staph” Caused by: bacteria Typically: one or more painful sores, with pus surrounded by redness, sometimes associated with fever
Herpes Caused by: virus, the same virus that causes cold sores in the mouth Typically: one or more painful blisters with clear fluid surrounded by redness
What are the risk factors for passing skin infections from one person to another?
Skin-to-skin contact
Wrestling and football are the sports with the most number of outbreaks
Outbreaks have been reported among participants in many other sports
Inadequate hand washing
Sharing sweaty or dirty clothes, towels, or equipment
Breaks in the skin, sores, or open wounds particularly if they are draining fluid and are not covered by a bandage that covers the entire wound
Not showering after every practice or game
When should I refer an athlete to a health care provider?
Any lesion, sore, or rash on the skin you are concerned about, especially those that are red, swollen, or draining fluid
The athlete also has other signs of illness such as fever or vomiting
Multiple athletes have similar symptoms
When should I exclude an athlete from competition or practice?
When the athlete has any concerning lesion, sore, or rash until evaluated by a health care provider
In general, if an athlete has an infection with fluid draining from the wound and participates in a sport with a lot of skin-to-skin contact, they should be excluded until the infection is healed
When can I allow an athlete to return to competition or practice?
Consult with the athlete’s health care provider and specific sports league rules
Prevent the spread of infections!
Athlete's responsibilities:
Coaches, Officials, and Team Leaders responsibilities:
Report all sores or concerning skin problems to a coach, athletic trainer, school nurse, or other health care provider.
Tell she/he that you participate in sports.
Before and after skin-to-skin contact athlete:
Wash your hands with soap and running water for 15-20 seconds or,
Use alcohol-based hand rub if hands are not visibly dirty
After being checked by a health care provider, completely cover all sores, lesions, rashes, and wounds with a water-proof bandage so no fluid can drain from it. Change the bandage if it become wet.
Do not share water cups or bottles.
Shower immediately after every practice and game beforegoing home.
Use warm water and liquid soap
Use only your own towels, razors, or wash clothes and do not share them with others
Never share sweaty or dirty towels or clothing. Launder all towels or clothes after each wearing according to label directions.
Use clean personal equipment such as pads, head gear, etc.
Follow coach’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection of shared equipment such as mats.
Observe the athletes for skin problems. Encourage and support athletes to report sores, lesions, and rashes. Refer them to a health care provider if concerning.
Promote good hand washing:
Athletes: before and after skin-to-skin contact
Coaches and officials: before and after contact which each athlete
After being checked by a health care provider, ensure all sores, lesions, rashes, and wounds are covered by a water-proof bandage that prevents any fluid draining from the wound before and during participation.
Ensure athletes have access to bottles or cups that are not shared.
Ensure athletes shower immediately after every practice and game beforegoing home
Ensure that showers are functional with warm water and liquid soap available
Ensure that towels, razors, or wash clothes are not shared
Ensure provided towels, uniforms, or clothing are laundered and dried after each use according to label directions.
Assist in the cleaning of all personal equipment such as pads, head gear, etc. per manufacturer’s
Develop and implement cleaning and disinfection protocols for all shared equipment such as mats.
