Wrestling is a sport that many adults and children enjoy, and can be a gratifying athletic experience of team-building and physical exercise. However, wrestling is also a sport where you are the most prone to injury. Many common wrestling injuries include concussions, scrapes, bruises, tongue cuts, and cauliflower ear. Knee and shoulder injuries often happen with more severity than all other injuries and are typically responsible for the most lost time, surgeries, and medical treatments. Read on to learn more about injuries commonly caused by wrestling from Celebration sports medicine clinic Celebration Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute. Call Orlando orthopedic center Celebration Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute today for a consultation.
Common Wrestling Injuries
There are several types of injuries which commonly occur in wrestling.
- Head and Face- Cauliflower ears are a result of severe bruising of the ear structure. The injury which results may need to be drained and the ear wrapped in a casting material in order to retain ear shape after the swelling has gone down. Even though this is difficult to avoid, wearing headgear can be the best defense against this potentially disfiguring injury. Wearing headgear with a frontal pad can also help to reduce impact on the forehead and help to prevent concussions. A mouthguard not only can prevent severe tongue and tooth injury, but also help with concussions.
- Prepatella Bursitis- Prepatella bursitis is the inflammation of the sac (bursa) that is in front of the kneecap (patella). This area is constantly hit into the mat during wrestling and often causes sharp pain and swelling. Prepatella bursitis is typically treated by anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen or Aspirin, ice, and rest.
- Ligament Injuries- Orlando orthopedic center Celebration Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute note that knee ligament injuries are another common wrestling injury. These injuries typically happen when the leg twists outward from the midline of the body.
Sports Medicine Advice
- Skin Infections- There are many deadly infections such as MRSA developing in schools all across America, and infection prevention is critical. Epidemics of skin infections can spread quickly from team member to team member with the three most common infections in wrestlers being herpes simplex, ringworm, and impetigo. With such a large amount of skin-to-skin contact, it’s important to reduce risk through proper sanitation of mats with antiseptic solution following each practice, wearing clean clothing at each practice session, and showers before and after practice. If an infection does develop, a doctor needs to treat it immediately with antibiotics or antibiotic creams. Wrestlers can keep drilling or participate in conditioning workouts, but also need to avoid bodily contact with other team members until the infection is totally healed.
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No matter how trivial the injury, it should be treated as soon as possible. A small cut or scrape may not matter much in hockey, football, or track athletes, but for a wrestler, even a minor sprain or infection can keep him from participating in a match. Any injury should be reported immediately and if needed treated by a sports medicine specialist. If you are looking for an Orlando orthopedic center, call Celebration Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute today.