Page 8 - Safe Wrestling

Matej Plevnik and Matej Ipavec

tor development, reduced confidence in movement, increased fear of
re-injury, and a higher likelihood of sport dropout during adolescence
(Lloyd et al., 2015; Emery & Pasanen, 2019; Lee et al., 2000). Concerns
related to early sport specialisation in wrestling have also been docu-
mented, with evidence suggesting associations with increased injury risk
and long-term health implications (McDonald et al., 2019). From a pub-
lic health perspective, such outcomes are particularly problematic, as
sustained participation in physical activity during youth is a key predic-
tor of lifelong health behaviours. Injury prevention in youth sport must
therefore be understood not only as a strategy for protecting short-term
performance, but also as an essential component of long-term health
promotion and the development of physical literacy.
Contemporary theoretical models reinforce this perspective by con-
ceptualising sports injuries as dynamic and multifactorial events rather
than as random or unavoidable incidents. The dynamic model of in-
jury aetiology proposed by Meeuwisse et al. (2007) highlights that injury
risk fluctuatesovertimeasaresult of interactions between intrinsic fac-
tors (e.g., maturation, neuromuscular control, and previous injury) and
extrinsic exposures (e.g., training load, environmental conditions, and
competitive demands). This model underscores the need for preventive
strategies that are adaptive, context-sensitive, and embedded within ev-
eryday training environments, rather than being delivered as isolated in-
terventions.
Within youth sport systems, coaches play a decisive role in shap-
ing these environments. Coaches influence training intensity, technical
progression, recovery practices, and the social climate in which young
athletes interpret pain, fatigue, and risk. Research consistently identi-
fies coach behaviour and education as critical determinants of both in-
jury risk and the successful implementation of preventive programmes
(Bizzini & Dvorak, 2015; Donaldson & Finch, 2013). Consequently, in-
jury prevention cannot be separated from pedagogical competence and
coaching philosophy. Preventive behaviour emerges through learning
processes, modelling, and repeated reinforcement, rather than through
mere compliance with externally imposed rules.
This pedagogical dimension is particularly salient in combat sports,
where cultural norms surrounding toughness, resilience, and persever-
ance may unintentionally discourage the early reporting of symptoms
or adherence to recovery guidelines. Without appropriate educational
framing, young athletes may learn to normalise pain and suppress warn-

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