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.