Frequency of Sports Trauma in Elite National Level Greco-Roman Wrestling Competitions

BACKGROUND: Trauma is an inescapable part of sports competitions. It occurs more frequently in contact sports such as wrestling. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of injury in Greco-Roman style wrestling competitions at national level. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This descriptive epidemiological research included 50 Greco-Roman style wrestlers who participated in national level competitions between the years 2003 and 2008. A questionnaire was completed by each participant, itincluded; the number of injuries to skin, muscle tissue, bones and joints. The reliability of the instrument was evaluated by a test - retest method (r = 0.83, P = 0.0001). RESULTS: The most frequent injuries encountered by the wrestlers were; skin lesions (62%), followed by muscle (22%), bone (9%) and joint (7%) injuries, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Greco-Roman style wrestlers are at high risk of skin injuries.Therefore, they need appropriate instructions on how to avoid injuries and adequate care after their competitions.