Design and hygiene issues in sports facilities. A pilot study which investigates fitness centres by using a multidisciplinary tool

Introduction. In recent years there has been a considerable increase in general public's awareness of the benefits of physical activity on health, and the number of people becoming physically active has risen. Being gyms the main indoor environment for practicing physical activity, the growth of their attendance has increased the importance of these places. Methods. A multidisciplinary team has developed an assessment tool for hygiene and safety of these areas that evaluates different components (location, dimension, maintenance, etc.). Each section consists of a series of questions that evaluators and facility managers must answer. Discussion. The tool was tested on a sample of case studies analyzing several critical issues that might affect the quality of spaces and users’ health. Conclusions. The observed critical points will allow the future implementation of the instrument. Several design and management considerations also were highlighted, in order to improve the hygiene and health aspects of gyms. Keywords . Design and Management strategies; Fitness centers; Evaluation tool; Indoor Environment; Multidisciplinary approach.