hey guys,

i have a problem that i think a lot of wrestlers face, injuries. i haven't been injured a whole lot during my junior, sophomore and freshie years in hs, but now they are really pouring in and somewhat is affecting my game. i know wrestlers do wrestle with injuries, but these injuries i have are bothering my game, and they never heal up. they just get hurt more and more. i've got a right knee sprain, right ankle sprain, left knee problems, just recovered from a shoulder injury in football, but the pain is returning and it's bad, i also have a bad wrist and thumb that keeps getting sprained no matter how much tape is on it and a broken pointer and ring finger all on the same hand.

the hand injuries don't bother me that much, but the shoulder and knees do bother the way i wrestle now. i became much more defensive and protect my shoulder because they've caught me in numerous locks with my shoulder and the pain is just horrible. i've had knee surgery this spring, before football and my left knee recently got hurt at the start of the season. i had it wrapped in tape, but it works against me cuz many wrestlers love to work on a part that they know is injured or vunerable. that's what happned to my shoulder, which is wrapped every match. i couldn't walk on my left leg w/o a little limp and just last saturday, i sprained my other knee and my ankle so my legs are *****ed up. I wrestled last night in a dual and i barely squeezed past the guy.

i don't know how things will work without that much leg power or explosion. i'm trying to get my legs fixed by doing treatment and some rehab work. yeah, i'm just sucking the pain up and wrestling smartly as not to hurt them more, but apparently, they get worse and worse every match coz wrestlers attack it more.

i don't know any other way to wrestle with injuries other than wrestle defensively. how do you other wrestlers cope with your injuries?

thanks,
michael

I hear you, guy...I am an open wrestler, when I was younger, was prone to some of the problems you describe: rotator cuff, knees. I took some time off from any wrestling--yeah, it killed me big time, but realize it had to be done. Did rehab, did some very extensive work on building up muscle in knees and rotator area, and now never have a problem...now all I get is a shiner now and then, but who cares about that LOL? Don't be discouraged...be methodical in getting your knees, etc. back and you may have to cut down on wrestling...don't sweat the time off...in the end, you will do better on the mat...it worked bigtime for me...