Most wrestlers will not suffer from an open wound during a wrestling match, but blood is a fairly common occurrence. The most susceptible wrestlers to bleed are those with braces and those with a history of nose bleeds. Bleeding is common enough that there is time allowed during a match to compensate for recovery time (also known as blood time) and to clean the mat.
Blood Time
During a high school wrestling match or at a wrestling competition without a doctor’s presence, there is an allowance of about five minutes for blood time. (The exact time allowed depends on the style of wrestling and the location of where the match is taking place.) In college, there can be unlimited amount of time for blood as long as a doctor is present and can determine that the wrestler can continue the match. Of course, if the injury is too severe, then the injured wrestler will have to forfeit the match.
Cleaning the Mat
Every table, before the start of a match, must be prepared in case of a blood-related injury. Paper towels, disinfectant, surgical gloves, and bio-hazard trash bags are always stocked at the table with refills readily available if necessary. In tournament situations, the table is stocked well before the tournament begins. It is very rare that a table will need to refill any supplies during a given day. When blood time is called, table workers enter the mat with gloves on and disinfectant and paper towels in hand. Bloodied paper towels are thrown into the bio-hazard trash bags and then the match is ready to resume as soon as the wrestlers are ready.
Nose Bleeds
During any given match, noses can become mashed into other wrestler’s arms and legs or into the mat itself. When this happens, occasionally a wrestler’s nose will begin to bleed. As soon as blood is noticed on the mat, the referee calls for blood time, and the mat and the wrestlers are cleaned and sanitized. The nose-bleeder will have to do their best to quickly stop the bleeding: usually with the assistance of their coach and school medical trainer. If the blood doesn’t appear to be slowing down quickly and the tissues/napkins are being used up, then the common solution is a brand new cut-down tampon. The tampon is shoved up the wrestler’s nose and this is often all that is needed to send the wrestler back to the mat to finish the match.
Blood from the Mouth
The two most common reasons blood begins to flow from a wrestler’s mouth are: a bitten tongue and braces. Both of these injuries can be prevented with mouth guards, but many wrestlers choose not to wear mouth guards because they can make it difficult to breathe.
A wrestler may accidentally bite their tongue when an opponent catches them off guard with a sudden arm under their jaw or a face fall to the mat. The chances increase as wrestlers become exhausted, pant for air, and forget to keep their tongue away from their teeth. A few wrestlers learn the hard way to break the habit of sticking their tongue between their teeth when they’re focused. The severity of a bitten tongue ranges from a small nick to actually splitting the tongue in half.
Most wrestlers with braces choose not to practice with a mouth guard because they are inconvenient, and as stated, make it very difficult to breathe. Often times, they’ll opt to just cover their braces with wax because it’s usually enough to suffice for light practice. Even in a light practice, it doesn’t take too much outside pressure for their braces to catch on the inside of their cheek. During a wrestling match, wrestlers with braces are usually required to wear mouth guards and many of these wrestlers put wax on their braces as well. So although there should be less of an opportunity for the braces to cut into cheeks, cuts from braces can still happen when mouth guards can slip out of place or fall out during a match. As a result, wrestlers with braces are more prone to getting called for blood time than other wrestlers.
In addition to blood-related injuries, there are several other common amateur wrestling injuries.
