Fedorzilla
Brown Belt
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2008
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Grapplers:
I am writing this long damn post as a public service announcement for the grappling world. I see post after post on these chains referring to ringworm and staph. Obviously the latter is very serious, but HPV is something that falls between the two in terms of seriousness and inconvenience.
I got HPV (plantar warts) on my feet when I was in Abu Dhabi for the World Pro in 2011. At the hotel, they emptied a billiards room and brought in mats so that people could practice there. I also competed, but am virtually positive that I contracted them on the nastier practice mats, which I never saw cleaned. The only reason I am dealing with it is because of the failure of others to observe proper hygiene. This virus has caused me serious pain and discomfort and has greatly limited my ability to train over the past year. I am still dealing with the painful treatments after about 18 months of constant treatment (using various methods).
This post discusses
(1) General information on plantar warts (HPV)
(2) How it’s transmitted
(3) How to avoid contracting it or passing it along to others
(4) Impact on training and life
(5) Treatment methods and advice for anybody unlucky enough to contract them
(1) What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are warts (also called “verruca” on the bottom of the feet, which can become very painful. They settle deep under the skin, can grow to be very large, and are contagious. These are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are various strains of the virus, and so it’s very difficult – if not impossible – to generate a vaccine. Different strains have different “homes.” For example, genital warts are a different strain of HPV, but they are localized. Similarly, warts on the hands and feet (plantars) are transferrable to the palms and feet. These are the most likely concerns for grapplers.
While they can become ridiculously large (feel free to google images), they can be very small and difficult to identify at the outset. They can be mistaken for callouses, and typically look like the following
http://boneyzinspiredperceptions.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/plantar-wart-1.jpg
(2) How do you get them? Why is this relevant to BJJ or grappling?
HPV which thrives on warm, moist surfaces (swimming pools, gym floors or mats, bathrooms). It is a highly contagious pathogen and can survive for months without a human host. When in contact with infected skin or surfaces, the virus can enter through cuts, abrasions, and other skin breaks on your feet (basically miniature cracks in dry skin). If an infected person walks barefoot on a florr or mat, virus particles may be released which you can catch by walking across the same surface. It’s also possible to become infected from fabrics (towels, socks, shoes, etc.) used by someone with plantar warts.
That means that I can not only give them to people at my gym - or wear wrestling shoes the rest of my life while training - but also to your daughter due to our using the same shower, walking on the same floors (Shanghai is very humid and the floors are damp during much of the Summer). You can transfer it from towels, and fabrics, meaning that I'd have to walk around for the rest of my life with socks on indoors (and sleep in them) even in the hot summer. I would never be able to walk around barefoot at a pool again for fear of infecting someone else. I would prefer not to give your daughter or anyone else I know a skin disease that they might never be able to get rid of. That is the reason I'm being so adamant about treating them immediately and effectively, regardless of discomfort.
Over time, people develop immunity to most types of HPV that cause common warts (hence warts are widespread in children and young adults because their bodies haven't yet had enough time to become immune to this common virus. However, this may take several years
(http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2011/may-20b.html)
I am writing this long damn post as a public service announcement for the grappling world. I see post after post on these chains referring to ringworm and staph. Obviously the latter is very serious, but HPV is something that falls between the two in terms of seriousness and inconvenience.
I got HPV (plantar warts) on my feet when I was in Abu Dhabi for the World Pro in 2011. At the hotel, they emptied a billiards room and brought in mats so that people could practice there. I also competed, but am virtually positive that I contracted them on the nastier practice mats, which I never saw cleaned. The only reason I am dealing with it is because of the failure of others to observe proper hygiene. This virus has caused me serious pain and discomfort and has greatly limited my ability to train over the past year. I am still dealing with the painful treatments after about 18 months of constant treatment (using various methods).
This post discusses
(1) General information on plantar warts (HPV)
(2) How it’s transmitted
(3) How to avoid contracting it or passing it along to others
(4) Impact on training and life
(5) Treatment methods and advice for anybody unlucky enough to contract them
(1) What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are warts (also called “verruca” on the bottom of the feet, which can become very painful. They settle deep under the skin, can grow to be very large, and are contagious. These are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are various strains of the virus, and so it’s very difficult – if not impossible – to generate a vaccine. Different strains have different “homes.” For example, genital warts are a different strain of HPV, but they are localized. Similarly, warts on the hands and feet (plantars) are transferrable to the palms and feet. These are the most likely concerns for grapplers.
While they can become ridiculously large (feel free to google images), they can be very small and difficult to identify at the outset. They can be mistaken for callouses, and typically look like the following
http://boneyzinspiredperceptions.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/plantar-wart-1.jpg
(2) How do you get them? Why is this relevant to BJJ or grappling?
HPV which thrives on warm, moist surfaces (swimming pools, gym floors or mats, bathrooms). It is a highly contagious pathogen and can survive for months without a human host. When in contact with infected skin or surfaces, the virus can enter through cuts, abrasions, and other skin breaks on your feet (basically miniature cracks in dry skin). If an infected person walks barefoot on a florr or mat, virus particles may be released which you can catch by walking across the same surface. It’s also possible to become infected from fabrics (towels, socks, shoes, etc.) used by someone with plantar warts.
That means that I can not only give them to people at my gym - or wear wrestling shoes the rest of my life while training - but also to your daughter due to our using the same shower, walking on the same floors (Shanghai is very humid and the floors are damp during much of the Summer). You can transfer it from towels, and fabrics, meaning that I'd have to walk around for the rest of my life with socks on indoors (and sleep in them) even in the hot summer. I would never be able to walk around barefoot at a pool again for fear of infecting someone else. I would prefer not to give your daughter or anyone else I know a skin disease that they might never be able to get rid of. That is the reason I'm being so adamant about treating them immediately and effectively, regardless of discomfort.
Over time, people develop immunity to most types of HPV that cause common warts (hence warts are widespread in children and young adults because their bodies haven't yet had enough time to become immune to this common virus. However, this may take several years
(http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2011/may-20b.html)
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