Protective Gear Required In Wrestling

Amateur wrestling is a combat sport; a sport in which the participants use fighting techniques to make the other wrestler's body do what they want it to do. All combat sports carry the risk of injury. However, by properly using the safety equipment associated with the sport, referees, coaches and athletes can reduce the number of injuries.

Common Wrestling Injuries

According to an article on the website safesport.uk, the most common wrestling injuries are knee sprains, bursitis in the knee, head trauma and impact injuries sustained during a fall. Oregon-based wrestling coach Andy Brick also notes that cauliflower ear--unsightly keloid scarring caused by damage to ear cartilage--was a very common wrestling injury prior to mandatory headgear.

Head Gear

All amateur competitive wrestlers must wear headgear--protective padding over the ears that is fastened to the head via a harness of straps. Headgear protects the ears and temples from the incidental buffeting that accompanies stand-up wrestling. It also reduces incidents of head trauma and has all but completely eliminated cauliflower ear.

Wrestling Mat

Wrestling competition centers around throwing your opponent to the mat and manipulating him while he's down there. The wrestling mat, a layer of high-impact polyurethane foam between two thin layers of rubber, protects wrestlers from impact injuries. The soft surface of the mat also prevents minor scrapes, bruises and abrasions. Because a standing wrestler's feet depress slightly into the mat, wrestling mats can slightly increase the risk of a knee injury.

Wrestling Shoes

Wrestling shoes are light shoes with thin soles and a medium-high ankle support. The ankle protects against twists and sprains while the shoes' light weight improves mobility. The tread on the bottom of the shoes improves traction, but also depresses the foot into the mat far less than a wrestler in bare feet or gym shoes. This helps to protect against the sprained knees sometimes caused by the mat.

Knee Pads

Pre-patella bursitis, an inflammation of the fluid sacks around the knee, can be caused by the repeated impact of the knee on the floor. That impact is common during competition and practice. Some wrestlers wear knee pads to protect against this, and against simple abrasions and scrapes cause by rotating on the mat with the knee. Coach Brick points out that most wrestlers eschew knee pads until they have already been injured.

Effectiveness

A 2006 Centers for Disease Control study on sports injuries among high school athletes found that wrestling ranked second among high school sports in terms of likelihood of injury. Wrestling was shown to be significantly less dangerous than football and slightly more dangerous than soccer. The study also found the single most effective way of preventing injury was to use all protective gear during play.