The following information outlines skin infections common to contact sports such as wrestling.  This by no means supersedes or replaces an evaluation by a physician or qualified health care professional.

 

Do not overlook concerning skin irritations or lesions as they have the potential to be contagious!  For the safety of your wrestler as well as others - it is important that you obtain medical care as early as possible to initiate treatment (if needed) and prevent potential communication of skin infections to other wrestlers!  This is everyone's responsibility so that all wrestlers remain disease free for the duration of the season.  It is also important that you immediately report any skin infections to your wrestler's respective coach so the appropriate measures can be undertaken to ensure other wrestler's health.  

 

Encourage your wrestler to practice good hygiene:

-  use of anti-septic/anti-bacterial wipes or topical applications/washes

-  wash hands frequently (soap & water, hand gel)

-  only wear wrestling shoes in the wrestling room (never outside or to & from practice and no sneakers in the wrestling room!)

-  shower immediately after wrestling

-  keep fingernails trimmed, etc.!

 

Be vigilant!  Seek medical care early! Practice good hygiene!  Wrestling is a demanding and very physical sport – thank you for ensuring a safe and disease-free season!

 

 

Ringworm

                                             

                                                              

   

Cause: fungal infection of the skin (note: it is not a ‘worm’)

Transmission: direct contact with infected skin

Symptoms: mild itching at the site

Appearance: a pink to red ‘ring’ like lesion with central clearing

Location: anywhere on the body, head-to-toe (need to check the scalp)

Treatment: topical anti-fungal agents; need to be applied/continued at least one week after the lesion has cleared

   

 

 

 

Impetigo

      

     

                                                                

 

Cause:  Bacterial – Staph & Strep organisms (both common normal skin organisms) that infect superficial skin layers with potential to extend to deeper layers

Transmission:  bacteria enter through minor abrasions or breaks in the skin; direct contact

Symptoms:  mild itching, occasional pain or tenderness at the site

Appearance: small “pimple like” lesions, which rupture or weep and turn into honey-crusted erosions or ulcerations

Location:  anywhere on the body, head-to-toe

Treatment:  local hygiene, topical antibiotic ointment, potential for oral antibiotics

 

 

 

Folliculitis

 

 

     

 

Cause:  superficial infection of the upper portion of the hair follicle by common skin bacteria such as Staph & Strep organisms

Transmission: non-contagious (see below)

Symptoms: mild irritation and itching

Appearance: small, pink-red “pimples”

Location: anywhere on the body

Treatment: local hygiene, topical antibiotic ointment

**Note**: should the sites develop into a larger “pimple” with a vesicular or pustular appearance (a “white head”) and increased pain or irritation, this should be evaluated by a health care professional; occasionally there is some potential for transmission in more severe cases (when methicillin resistant staph aureus is involved, 'MRSA')