{"id":590979,"date":"2026-07-17T20:08:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/590979\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T20:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:08:24","slug":"46-per-class-fitness-studio-is-leaving-people-with-ringworm-reports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/590979\/","title":{"rendered":"$46-per-class fitness studio is leaving people with ringworm: reports"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Folks who shelled out as much as $46 for an exercise class are going home with more than a post-workout glow \u2014 some are reporting they\u2019ve picked up a <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/13\/health\/outbreak-of-sti-that-causes-ringworm-in-unfortunate-places\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">nasty fungal infection<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n<p>Solidcore has studios around the country, with 16 locations around the city, two on Long Island and two directly across the Hudson. They specialize in workouts on a machine called a \u201csweatlana\u201d that\u2019s inspired by a Pilates reformer.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s on and around those machines that people <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/life\/health-wellness\/2026\/07\/14\/boutique-fitness-studios-ringworm-outbreaks-dermatologists-weigh-in\/90832029007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">suspect ringworm is spreading<\/a>. Some fitness fans are urging others to wear socks and wipe down the machines thoroughly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWent to the dermatologist this morning and I have <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/04\/11\/lifestyle\/heres-the-disgusting-reason-why-you-should-never-wear-new-clothes-without-washing-them\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ringworm<\/a>,\u201d griped <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SolidCore\/comments\/1ucomhn\/ringworm\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">one Reddit user<\/a>, who says they got it from the Downtown Brooklyn Solidcore last month. \u201cI\u2019m always diligent about wiping my machine and washing my hands before and after class, but alas, after a year and half of Solidcore, I finally caught it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img style=\"aspect-ratio:0.66699219;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"39992331\" width=\"394\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/anne-mahlum-founder-non-profit-134486053.jpg\" alt=\"People exercising on fitness equipment at Solidcore studio.\" class=\"wp-image-39992331\"  \/>Some fitness fans are urging other Solidcore customers to wear socks and wipe down their machines after using. The Washington Post via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Another New Yorker wrote that her roommate picked up the infection after working out at the brand\u2019s Greenwich Village location.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven though I wipe my machine down before working out like a pyscho, I still managed to get ringworm,\u201d wrote a third Reddit user from near DC. \u201cYes, I know I could get it anywhere but Solidcore is the only gym\/studio I workout in and I otherwise live a very boring life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, people can\u2019t get enough. On TikTok, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@altabloom\/video\/7470532761435049247\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">one woman<\/a> shared that she was still showing up to Solidcore twice a week after getting ringworm there.<\/p>\n<p>Solidcore says they clean the studios and machines professionally, but clients are the ones wiping down machines after each class. Classes run from as early as 5 a.m. and run until 10:45 p.m. at some locations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe health and safety of the 250,000 people who visit our more than 170 Solidcore studios nationwide each month is always our top priority,\u201d a representative from the company told The Post. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAccordingly, we adhere to professional-grade protocols across all of our studios that are designed to keep our clients safe, including an EPA and FDA-approved, long-lasting machine coating that kills 99.9% of viruses, bacteria and fungi.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So how is this spreading, and what can you do to protect yourself?<\/p>\n<p>How ringworm might be spreading<\/p>\n<p>Ringworm is a highly contagious fungal infection \u2014 not a worm. It causes an itchy, scaly, often ring-shaped rash. Athlete\u2019s foot is a form of ringworm.<\/p>\n<p><img style=\"aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"39992333\" width=\"885\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ring-worm-infection-dermatophytosis-skin-134486321.jpg\" alt=\"Applying cream to a ringworm infection on an arm.\" class=\"wp-image-39992333\"  \/>Ringworm is a fungus, not a worm. \u00c3\u00c5\u00be\u00c3\u00c2\u00bb\u00c3\u00c5\u00c3\u00c2\u00b3\u00c3\u00c2\u00b0 \u00c3\u00c2\u00a2\u00c3\u00c2\u00b5\u00c3\u00e2\u00ac\u00c3\u00c2\u00bd\u00c3\u00c2\u00b0\u00c3\u00c2\u00b2\u00c3\u00c2\u00c3\u00c2\u00ba\u00c3\u00c2\u00b0\u00c3\u00c2 \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a reason ringworm is a common problem in gyms of all kinds. It can linger on floors, towels, locker rooms, mats \u2014 and possibly sweatlana machines too.<\/p>\n<p>Solidcore says they treat their machines biweekly with \u201can EPA- and FDA-approved long-lasting coating that is antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal\u201d that kills a wide variety of bacteria and fungi for up to 90 days.<\/p>\n<p>They also say in addition to the coating and \u201cregular\u201d professional cleaning, they introduced new, more saturated wipes with \u201cantibacterial, antifungal and virucidal properties.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some fans note that another potential risk factor could be that participants in Solidcore classes often go barefoot. On Reddit, one person who suspects she picked up ringworm in a California studio said they now \u201cwear socks, leggings and full sleeves to every class.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the flip side, one Michigan woman who claims to have gotten ringworm in her fingers said she does wear socks, but those only protect your feet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRingworm is spread through any skin and it\u2019s not limited to just feet. You can wear socks all day long but we are rubbing our entire body all over the reformer,\u201d a commenter noted.<\/p>\n<p>Ringworm is hard to get rid of. Disinfectants that kill it often need to stay wet<a href=\"https:\/\/www.webvet.com\/how-to-clean-house-after-cat-ringworm\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> for a few minutes<\/a> before it actually works.<\/p>\n<p>To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ringworm\/aboutemergingringworm\/index.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">prevent ringworm<\/a>, take a shower right after your workout, make sure you dry off completely, and wear shoes and sandals in shared areas.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Solidcore customers who pay up to $420 a month, say they\u2019re being left in the lurch, often finding out about ringworm reports from Reddit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really wish each studio would send out an email to clients that have been to their location recently whenever there is ringworm\/athletes foot\/etc,\u201d the Downtown Brooklyn user wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s a public health issue! I think the amount of fungal infections caught at SC would be a lot lower if they were more proactive about notifying clients.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Folks who shelled out as much as $46 for an exercise class are going home with more than&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":590980,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[278],"tags":[18,539,525,41303,135,19,23309,17,710],"class_list":["post-590979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-eire","tag-exercise","tag-fitness","tag-fungus","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-infections","tag-ireland","tag-metro"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116937131166321407","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=590979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/590980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=590979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=590979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=590979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}