Self-reliance, confidence, strategic thinking, discipline and personal responsibility–these are only a few of the ways wrestling can make your athlete a stronger person. Wrestling also happens to be the most intense skin-to-skin contact sport there is, and it requires honesty, proactive planning and a commitment to healthy hygiene to avoid skin infections.
Of all high school students who deal with skin infections, wrestlers are most affected. As many as 25% of wrestlers will be impacted by an infection during their season. When one athlete on a team contracts a skin infection, there’s a chance the rest of the team will get it, too. This is not only a health risk. Athletes who contract a skin infection face immediate disqualification and a familiar relationship with the bench. That’s no way to spend a season.
If a player contracts a skin infection like herpes, for example, they’ll likely endure fever, sore throat, as well as sores on the skin (most commonly on the head, neck, or face). To get back to competing, athletes have to be symptom-free, show no new sores for 72 hours, and complete antiviral therapy.
Herpes, along with other common wrestling-related skin diseases like ringworm, impetigo, folliculitis, and Staph are all preventable and treatable. The first step is learning how to prevent contraction and spreading.
Start with You
Shower every time you work out with CLn SportWash–our heavyweight wash replaces your usual shower gel and is tough on microbes while being gentle on skin. Consider it an excellent insurance policy.
Keep Clothes and Gear Clean
Don’t forget to throw your gym clothes (and bag) in the wash after a workout. Putting on dirty clothes will erase all the good you do with CLn SportWash. Make sure you clean up after yourself in the gym as well—sanitizing mats and weight room equipment is essential to preventing the spread of infection.
Use Caution
If you have the slightest suspicion that you or a teammate could have a skin infection, err on the side of caution and schedule an appointment with a doctor. You won’t regret catching a problem before it gets worse.
Talk to Your Teammates
This is where honesty comes in. Keeping an open dialogue with your teammates could help spread good hygiene instead of pesky (and untimely) skin infections.
Come Clean
In the case that you do pick up a skin disease, trainers and coaches need to know right away. Sharing the news and taking precautionary measures sooner rather than later could prevent the rest of the team from joining you on the bench.
Clean Some More
Once you’re healed, make sure you wash everything you wore and used while you were infected, including clothes, bed sheets, sports bags and towels.
Wrestling is a tough sport, but skin condition management can be easier with CLn. Subscribe to our blog to the right of this page, as we frequently cover sports-related skin infection topics. And have a healthy, happy wrestling season!
The post Avoiding the Bench–All You Need to Know About Skin Infections.. appeared first on CLn® Skin Care Blog.