Wrestling

The shoulder is the most commonly dislocated joint in the human body, occurring most often in youth athletes, particularly wrestlers.  For some patients, standard stability-restoring procedures are ineffective.  New research from the University of Michigan shows patients who have recurrent shoulder dislocations may benefit from surgical reconstruction using cadaver bone and cartilage to essentially ‘sculpt' a new shoulder.

Which high school sports pose the highest risk of severe injury?  Football leads the list, slightly more than wrestling and more than twice the rate in girls' basketball and girls' soccer.  The safest of the nine studied? Girls volleyball.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee emphasized risk minimization and standardized procedures to assist both coaches and referees through 16 wrestling rules changes for the 2008-09 school year. Rules changes were made by the committee at its April 5-7 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

While skin infections, including MRSA, are reported most often in sports with frequent physical contact, skin contact or activities that may lead to the spread of MRSA skin infections may take place before or after participation in a sport with little physical contact.  Therefore, anyone participating in organized or recreational sports should be aware of the signs of possible skin infections and follow prevention measures.

Wrestling shoes are specially made to wear in the ring during matches. They are usually extremely lightweight and made with mesh and leather so as to provide ventilation so that wrestlers don't get bogged down by sweat.

Every sport has its rituals and culture. Wrestling is no different. The focus is, and always has been, on the weight of the athlete. Because athletes are grouped by weight, each team and coach decides which athlete fits best in a weight class. This should be no problem, except that the weight of young wrestlers fluctuates considerably, which may make it difficult to maintain a weight class throughout the season.

Psychologically and socially, one of the major tasks of childhood is identity formation. A child's self-concept changes on the basis of his/her experiences. The development of self-worth includes a sense of academic, social and athletic competence. The physical self is part of every child's identity.

In the wake of the deaths of three college wrestlers, the National Federation of State High School Associations is implementing what it describes as "monumental" new weight management rules for the 2006-2007 seasons.