Page 18 - Safe Wrestling

Matej Plevnik and Matej Ipavec

Table 1.2 Injury Prevention Programs in Youth Combat Sports Were Delivered
Primarily by Coaches and Trainers, with Additional Roles for Referees,
Physiotherapists, and Primary Care Providers
Delivery Agent Role in Prevention Training Requirements
Coaches/Trainers Primary implementers of Instruction on exercise exe-
warm-up programs cution; use of visual aids and
videos
Referees Enforcement of safety rules; Instruction on proactive in-
stopping dangerous actions tervention protocols
Physiotherapists Clinical prevention and reha- Professional development on
bilitation injury mechanisms
Primary care Screening and medical clear- Knowledge of sport-specific
providers ance risks
Athletic trainers Coach education and support Train-the-trainer program-
ming

biomechanical understanding with pedagogical and didactic compe-
tence. Such an approach includes teaching safe falling techniques, regu-
lating the intensity of partner contact, structuring technical progression
in accordance with maturational variability, and communicating safety
as a value that enables, rather than restricts, athletic performance and
long-term development.
A pedagogically informed approach also requires recognition that
adolescents are not merely ‘small adults.’ Growth and maturation sub-
stantially influence coordination, joint loading tolerance, and movement
strategies, thereby necessitating adaptive teaching approaches and train-
ing design, particularly during periods of rapid growth and development
(Lloyd et al., 2015). Injury prevention is therefore inseparable from the
instructional architecture of training, including the sequencing of skill
acquisition, the design of practice constraints, the use of feedback strate-
gies, and the creation of opportunities for reflective learning related to
bodily signals, fatigue, and recovery.
Gender-Sensitive Considerations in Youth Wrestling
The synthesis further indicates that gender-sensitive approaches are es-
sential for achieving equitable and effective injury prevention in youth
sport. International consensus statements emphasise that considera-
tions related to female athlete health should be systematically integrated
into training design and prevention strategies, rather than treated as op-
tional or secondary topics (Crossley et al., 2025). As female participation

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