Infections That Can Be Found on Wrestling Mats

Without proper and thorough cleaning, wrestling mats can harbor a number of highly contagious skin diseases. Due to the nature of the sport, wrestlers frequently come in contact with each other and the mat throughout the entire wrestling match. Over the course of a wrestling meet, a mat may collect bacteria and disease from dozens of wrestlers.

  1. Ring Worm

    • Ringworm, medically known as Tinea Corporis, is the most common skin disease transmitted between wrestlers. As a fungal infection, ringworm affects many areas of the body. It can appear in the form of athlete's foot, jock itch, scalp irritation, within fingernail beds or in more obvious locations like the chest, back or areas of the face. Ringworm is treatable with a topical substance and usually only prevents athletes from competing until treatment has occurred for at least three days. Although some ring worm infections cause an itching sensation, not all infected persons will experience itchiness.

    Herpes Simplex

    • Herpes simplex comes in many forms and is a highly contagious viral infection. Herpes is commonly found on the face, trunk or genital areas, identifiable as a red blister. The infection spreads through breaks in the skin. In the sport of wrestling, skin breaks such as cuts, scrapes, irritated scabs or mat burns are all very common. To return to competition, wrestlers must control their herpes outbreak with medication and stop the occurrence of new blisters before being allowed to resume participation.

    Staph Infections

    • A dangerous disease that is becoming more common in athletics is Staphylococcal infections, or staph infections for short. Staph infections are frequently treated with antibiotics, however, some strains are proven resistant. In addition to skin contact, staph infection is commonly spread through locker rooms via dirty clothes, towels and athletic equipment. The most notable symptom for a staph infection is a small puss-filled bump that quickly grows into a boil. If not treated immediately, staph infection may require hospitalization. Athletes with staph infection must be fully cleared by a doctor before returning to competition.