According to multiple reports, many students skip showering after physical education classes. At Sundsta-Älvkullegymnasiet in Sweden, only three out of ten students shower after PE, despite the installation of shower cubicles costing around 400,000 Swedish kronor. A 2016 Swedish survey found that six out of ten students skipped showering after physical education.
Lack of privacy in shower facilities is a major reason students avoid showering, according to multiple reports. Some students fear being photographed in the shower, as reported by major media. Time constraints between classes also contribute, according to Troy Vivungi, a student, as reported by SVT Värmland.
Some students prefer to shower at home after school, according to multiple reports. Many students feel insecure and unsafe in changing and shower facilities, according to multiple reports. Some students avoid exerting themselves during physical education to avoid sweating, according to multiple reports.
You need to feel that you have more time and that you have a margin. Because, I mean, it's far from here to school.
The problem of shower avoidance has worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to teachers in Motala and Vadstena. In Finland, the problem has worsened over the past 10–15 years, partly due to social media appearance pressures, according to Heidi Rautajoki, special expert at the Association of Physical and Health Education Teachers in Finland, as reported by major media. However, Swedish sources do not mention social media as a factor, instead citing lack of privacy and time constraints, suggesting a potential cultural difference.
Stockholm has proposed that all new or renovated schools should have shower cubicles to increase safety. Physical education teachers in Finland have requested partitions and curtains in shower areas. Johan Skytteskolan in Stockholm tried using disco balls and music in shower areas to encourage showering, but with limited success.
Teachers believe that conversations with students are crucial to addressing the problem, according to multiple reports. Students who participate in club sports are more likely to shower after physical education than those who do not, according to Andreas Baeksgaard Kristensen, a physical education teacher, as reported by major media. The physical education curriculum in Finnish primary school includes teaching students about hygiene, according to major media.