Wrestling Health and Hygiene Tips

• Use a product like Hibeclens or other Antiseptic/Antimicrobial skin cleanser before wrestling that provides a barrier against infection.
• Change shirts frequently during practice and wipe off before putting on new shirt.
• Wipe off after practice or competition with anti-bacterial wipes like Defense wipes.
• Shower immediately after 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, they should as soon as the get home.
• Do not share soap or towels with your teammates.
• 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, or any skin-related infection.
• Do not wear your wrestling shoes on the street. Wearing your shoes on the dirt or the street can transmit diseases from your shoes to the mat. The best wrestling shoes can be expensive, wearing them off the mat can cause them to wear out quicker.
• Wash wrestling workout clothes frequently. Do not leave workout clothes in lockers. Take them home and wash them.
• Disinfect wrestling equipment. Disinfect wrestling shoes, headgear, and wrestling bags frequently.
• Sick? Stay off the mat.
• Know when to see a doctor: Wrestling coaches and parents should be extra vigilant when 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.