Page 164 - Safe Wrestling

Martin Šporin and Dorjana Zerbo Šporin

management over time; therefore, nutrition education for both ath-
letes and coaches is warranted (Any˙ zewska et al., 2018).
2. Athletes with weight-management concerns should be monitored
regularly, approximately every 1–3 months, in order to identify ex-
cessive weight loss at an early stage. When advising on diet and ex-
ercise, physicians should encourage parents of young athletes to pri-
oritise nutritional requirements necessary for normal growth and
development over sport-related goals. Carl et al. (2017) strongly dis-
couraged acute weight reduction achieved through dehydration or
the use of potentially harmful medications and supplements, ar-
guing that weight-management strategies should begin sufficient-
ly early to allow gradual body-mass reduction before the competi-
tive season. They further emphasised the importance of educating
coaches and certified athletic trainers to promote healthy dietary
practices.
3. Hydration assessment may represent a practical strategy for reduc-
ing or preventing rapid body-mass loss (Doherty et al., 2024).
4. Cardiovascular screening appears necessary, particularly in athletes
repeatedly engaging in aggressive weight-cutting behaviours (Milo-
vanˇcev et al., 2023).
5. Enhanced education regarding safe body-mass management, com-
bined with evidence-informed strategies promoting athlete health –
including individualised nutrition support and mental health – has
also been recommended (Zorzi & Zandonai, 2024).
Children and adolescents should nevertheless be encouraged to par-
ticipate in combat sports because such activities may enhance bone min-
eral accrual during growth (Nasri et al., 2015; Shin et al., 2011). Despite
the frequent use of rapid weight loss before competition, weight-class
athletes participating in wrestling and judo appear to exhibit significant-
ly greater bone mineral density than endurance athletes and non-athletic
controls (Sagayama et al., 2020).
In contrast, five consecutive days of low energy availability (EA < 10
kcal/kg fat-free mass/day) were associated with symptoms consistent
with the male athlete triad and relative energy deficiency in sport in a
male combat-sport athlete (Langan-Evans et al., 2021). Low energy avail-
ability therefore appears to represent a primary factor contributing to
reduced bone mineral density and broader physiological dysfunction in
young wrestlers and combat-sport athletes.

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