Knee Injuries in Wrestlers: A Prospective Study from the Indian Subcontinent

BACKGROUND: Wrestling is a very popular sport the world over and its popularity is rapidly increasing in India. However, due to its arduous nature it is associated with a high incidence of injuries. Out of all the injuries, those to the knee are one of the commonest injuries reported. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to study the pattern of these injuries in the Indian wrestlers. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted involving 196 wrestlers who were followed up over a period of 2 years. Their knee injuries were studied by means of a structured questionnaire which they filled up with assistance from their athletic trainers. RESULTS: There were a total of 188 injuries in 121 wrestlers with overall injury rate of 5.13/1,000 athlete exposure. 35 wrestlers sustained 71 knee injuries (71/188; 37.77%). 71.83% injuries were new. More number of injuries occurred in competition (incidence density ratio = 20.7) and in attack position. There was a statistically significant association with age and duration of practice. No association was found between these injuries and style of wrestling, weight and height of wrestlers. Ligament sprains and muscular strains were the commonest injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Goal of any such study is to minimize the risk of injury in the young athlete by understanding the factors responsible and development of preventive programs. We hope to do just that with this first study involving Indian wrestlers.