Comparing the Musculoskeletal Injuries Between the Professional Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestlers

Background: Wrestling, due to its contact and oppressive training nature, is subject to massive injuries. The present study aimed to compare the musculoskeletal injuries between professional Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. The statistical population consisted of all male Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers (N=86; age range: 15-20 years) in Guilan Province, Iran. The study participants had a history of at least two continual years of wrestling training, 3 sessions per week, and participating in national and international competitions. The modified Fuller and Hawkins questionnaire was applied for recording data on the past two-year injuries. Using descriptive statistics, the retrieved data were summarized and classified in tables. Moreover, differences between the study variables were determined by the Chi-squared test in SPSS. Results: A statistically significant difference was observed for neck injuries between Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers (P=0.01). Additionally, a significant difference was observed in the frequency of training in the one-week training (P=0.01), techniques (P=0.001), and injury mechanisms (P=0.02) between the two study groups. Conclusion: The present study findings revealed a significant difference in neck injury between the investigated Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers. Furthermore, a significant difference was detected in the frequency of training, techniques mechanism of injury, and the injury rate between the two groups. Designing suitable training sessions and plans and teaching the principles of warm-up and techniques for preventing additional damage in wrestlers are suggested for coaches.