Going Barefoot in the Gym Shower

Risk Rating: 2

If you’ve forgotten your flip-flops and need to rinse off, you can probably get away with this. Still, there is a chance that going barefoot in a public shower will leave you with an unwelcome souvenir. Fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, and if you pick up one on your feet, it can lead to athlete’s foot or even onychomycosis, an infection that turns toenails hard and yellow, says Jane Andersen, a podiatrist and a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association. Plus, if you have any small cuts on the bottoms of your feet, a virus could sneak through, causing a painful plantar wart or, less commonly, a bacterial infection. So wear your shower shoes, but if you didn’t toss them into your gym bag, don’t skip the workout.