Sr Joe Whittington said STIs are primarily spread through “doing the deed” and that it would take “something very unusual” for it to be spread via gym equipment
A doctor has weighed in on viral claims that gym goers contracted chlamydia infections from exercise equipment.
Dr Joe Whittington, who has about three million followers across several social media platforms weighed in on odd claims that the sexually transmitted infection (STI) could be spread via gym equipment. Concerns first spread on TikTok after one user claimed he became infected after he wiped his eye with a towel that he had placed on a seat.
The account @grinny45 said he visited a doctor with complaints he had “pink eye,” a common name for conjunctivitis – a minor infection of the eyelid. But he said the cause was actually chlamydia. According to the gym goer, the doctor then asked him if he worked out often.
“Chances are someone has sweated on the seat you put your gym towel on, wiped your face and got pink eye,” he claims the doctor told him. The video went viral and has been viewed more than 10 million times.
MailOnline reported others responded to the video saying they excessively cleaned gym equipment to avoid “eye chlamydia” for that reason. But Dr Joe shared his take on the bizarre online claims.
In England the number of STIs recorded in the over-45s increased by 18 per cent between 2015 and 2019, jumping from 31,902 to 37,692.
Taking to Instagram, Dr Joe posed the question: “Can you really get chlamydia from gym equipment?” He continued: “Well, we all know it’s primarily spread through doing the deed, not through casual contact or touching surfaces. So unless you’re doing something very unusual with those gym machines, you’re safe.”
According to the NHS, most people who have chlamydia do not have any symptoms and that they can present themselves differently in men and women. They can also take up to a week or several months after infection to appear.
Chlamydia symptoms in women
- vaginal discharge that is not normal for you
- bleeding after sex or between periods
- a burning feeling when you pee
- pain in your lower tummy
Chlamydia symptoms in men
- white, cloudy or watery discharge from the tip of your penis
- burning and itching around the testicles (balls) and penis
- pain and swelling in the testicles
- a burning feeling when you pee
Other symptoms in both men and women
- pain, bleeding, and discharge from your bottom
- a sore throat
- eye redness, pain and discharge
Earlier this year STIs were found to have doubled among people aged over 50 in the past decade. The rise has led to greater sex education calls for baby boomers.
Professor Justyna Kowa;ska, of the Medical University of Warsaw, presented her findings at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona in April. She said: “People do not become asexual with age
“In fact, with preventive medicine and improved lifestyles people are enjoying a healthy life and sex life for longer. Older people often find greater satisfaction in their sex lives due to experience and known expectations. We need more role models like Samantha Jones in the TV show Sex and the City to challenge stereotypes around older sexuality.”