Our personal gyms vary greatly in terms of equipment and expertise, as well as total space available for the entire family. But we all have one thing in common — the element of radiation. A team of researchers at the United States Department of Energy (DOE) have determined that this can present potential risks to all of us if we’re not careful.
The danger of radiation in gyms is revealed by an article by the American College of Radiology. Not only are workers using radiographic techniques within a workplace that releases large amounts of radiation, but the fact that patients may be getting radiation therapy on their skin may also expose them to exposure.
While the issue is relatively new, the importance of finding the proper equipment for your personal gym is becoming a priority, as radiation doses are being discovered. The report advises,
The increased use of radiation beams for therapeutic or diagnostic procedures, such as bone marrow biopsies, colonoscopies, dental procedures, etc., is generally not targeted towards the patient. Patients’ gyms may be a potential exposure location for radiation doses to arise.
Even more of a concern is the growth of athletic equipment and gyms on college campuses, which are becoming common in our everyday life. The report warns that even sports teams and physical therapy clinics could present a risk to those individuals seeking medical services or health-related treatments.
The report states, “It is not immediately obvious if sports teams use radioisotope sources, so those should be considered.” That is what happens when you allow people to opt-out of protecting their health and expose them to this hidden danger.
Dose of Radiation in the Gym
It has been known that this area is dangerous. After all, do you want your blood or bone marrow to be exposed to radiation? Or do you think the danger to your health is minimal because you aren’t getting radiation as a cancer treatment or even for an injection?
The amount of radiation the experts take as acceptable, however, is alarming, justifying the use of a cell radiation blocker just to be on the safe side. They state that your maximum dose exposure to radiation within your personal gym “is 300 roentgens.” To put it in perspective, the time before radiation therapy treatments are given has been reduced to a maximum of 250 roentgens. What does this mean? If you are diagnosed with radiation burns and received 150,000 roentgens of radiation during treatment, the maximum amount that can be given to you is 300.
But a 300 roentgen dose is not necessarily what we’re actually getting in the gym. Although radiation levels in gyms have been observed to vary significantly, they could just be looking at scattered radiation. We know of similar exposure levels from outer space, where our radiation exposure in space is only 1-5 roentgens per hour, while ground levels of radiation have been recorded to be from 50-70 roentgen per hour.
Why Is This a Concern?
Gyms, sporting venues, fitness centers, clinics and other occupational locations are considered protected places under federal and state laws. The radiation safety regulations include shielding of certain areas of your body, but some areas of the body remain unprotected, including the neck, chest, pelvic region and face.
