According to a sports report in BusinessInsider.com, wrestling is statistically the fifth most dangerous high school sport. It ranks below only hockey, football, gymnastics and lacrosse. A bruised rib can be an especially problematic injury for a wrestler. It hurts enough to impede performance, but isn't so serious that all wrestlers feel they need to stop to recover.
Bruised Ribs
Bruised ribs aren't actually bruises on the bones of your rib. Impact or pressure drives the muscles of your chest or sides into the harder bones. This bursts blood vessels in the skin and tears nearby tissue, causing the pain and bruising. Although painful, this injury isn't as serious as a cracked, broken or displaced rib bone.
Causes in Wrestling
Wrestling competition and practice risks bruised ribs in two ways. Impact from a throw or takedown can land a wrestler hard enough to bruise a rib. This is especially common if the wrestler lands on the arm or leg of his opponent, rather than the soft surface of the mat. A wrestling move called a "deep waist" can also bruise a rib. This move involves cinching down hard with one or both arms on the lower abdomen, sometimes enough to cause tissue damage.
Treatment
Immediate treatment for bruised ribs includes icing the area to reduce pain and swelling. Take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever. Protect the area for several days, or even weeks, by favoring your ribs during practice or even wrapping your ribs with an elastic bandage. Check with your doctor to confirm that the bruise isn't actually a break; it can be hard to tell the difference.
Recovery
Recovering from bruised ribs as a wrestler can be difficult, as many activities in practice and competition can exacerbate or re-injure your bruised ribs. According to "The Sports Injury Handbook" by Dr. Christer Rolf, a tight wrap can help with this, but rest is the best way to heal from a bruised rib. This may mean missing some practices, or at least sitting out of the live drills until you feel better.
References
- "The Sports Injury Handbook: Diagnosis and Management"; Christer Rolf; 2010
- Better Health Channel: Rib Injuries
