Wrestling Hygiene is essential to a Wrestling team.

I recently wrote an article on defense soap for wrestlers. After writing the article, I started thinking about how important good hygiene is to the sport of wrestling.

Wrestling is a close contact sport. It is incredibly easy to spread skin infections and other diseases to your whole wrestling team. I’ve seen wrestlers who had to miss important competitions because of skin infections.

It’s important that your wrestling organization practice good hygiene. This includes coaches, trainers, wrestlers, and parents. I want to cover the aspects of good hygiene for wrestlers.

 

Health & Hygiene: Wrestling Skin Infections

Wrestling is a contact sport and health and hygiene should be a priority. Wrestlers are in constant contact with each other and can pass skin infections such as ringworms, impetigo, and staph infection.

All of these skin infections are extremely contagious and you could infect an entire wrestling room full of wrestlers. The big question is How to Prevent Skin Infections?

Health & Hygiene Tips for Wrestling

Common skin infections can be avoided in wrestling with some basic common sense. Let’s explore some tips and healthy hygiene to prevent wrestling skin diseases

Shower After Wrestling Practice or Competition

The best way to prevent wrestling skin diseases is by taking a shower immediately after wrestling practice. If a wrestler doesn’t shower right after practice, then as soon as you get home.

Clean the Wrestling Mats Before and After Practice

I’ve heard some people say that cleaning the mats before any practice or competition is sufficient, but I disagree.

I have one example I can think of… the high school wrestlers finish their practice and the little league wrestlers start their practice. The mats were never cleaned after high school practice. Now the possibility of transmitting skin diseases to our little wrestlers is a real threat. Cleaning the mats after practice prevents that.

Do not wear your wrestling shoes on the street

wearing your shoes on the dirt of or the street can transmit diseases from your shoes to the mat. Also the best wrestling shoes can be expensive. Wearing wrestling shoes off the mat can cause them to wear out quicker.

You should carry your shoes into the room and put them on in the wrestling room. Also, wipe your shoes on a wet towel with disinfectant before practice.

Wash Wrestling Workout Clothes Frequently

I’ve seen many wrestlers who take off the clothes they wear to wrestling practice and throw them in their locker. The next day they put on the same clothes. Not only are you wearing clothes that stink to high heaven, you are just asking to catch a disease or transmit a skin to disease to your workout partners.

Keep Finger Nails Trimmed

Having your fingernails untrimmed is a quick way to spread skin infections. You can pass skin infections by scratching other people with long nails. Long nails allow you to harbor skin infections under your nails and break the skin of your workout partner or an opponent. An open wound is a quick way to get MRSA, ringworm, etc…

Sick? Stay off the Mat

Know when to See a Doctor

Wrestling coaches and parent should be vigilant and be looking for signs of a skin infection. If a wrestler is showing any symptoms of a skin disease, have him/her go to a doctor and get cleared by the doctor before returning to the wrestling room.

Prevention is Key for Healthy Wrestlers

While we all should be concerned about good hygiene is wrestling, you should know that prevent is the key to keeping wrestlers disease free. A little bit of common sense and prevention goes a long way.

Additional Hygiene Resources

Wrestling Mat Cleaners – Here is a list of recommended mat cleaners. a key component to preventing skin diseases and viruses is cleaning the mats before wrestling practice and competitions.

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