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Play-wrestlers and their injuries
T McCarthy1, E Crushell, K Synnott
1Department of Orthopaedics, The Children's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. tomcc@eircom.net
Irish Medical Journal
|May 5, 2005
Summary
Popular TV wrestling shows are leading to injuries in Irish children. Play-wrestling, imitating TV moves without training, caused 2.3% of fractures seen in a pediatric clinic.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Television (TV) broadcast wrestling series are increasingly popular among Irish children.
- This popularity has led to children imitating wrestling moves.
- There is a lack of formal wrestling or martial arts training among these children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and nature of injuries resulting from play-wrestling among children.
- To determine the proportion of pediatric fractures attributable to imitating TV wrestling.
- To highlight potential risks associated with unsupervised, TV-inspired wrestling play.
Main Methods:
- A four-month observational study was conducted at a busy pediatric fracture clinic.
- Data collected included injury cause, patient age, and injury type.
- Injuries specifically linked to play-wrestling imitating TV shows were identified and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Play-wrestling accounted for 2.3% of all injuries seen at the clinic during the study period.
- The mean age of injured children was 9.5 years (range 4-15 years).
- The most common injury was fracture of the distal radius (7 out of 13 cases), with one requiring surgical intervention.
Conclusions:
- Imitating TV wrestling poses a significant risk of injury to children, particularly fractures.
- The study highlights the need for parental awareness and supervision regarding children's engagement with TV wrestling content.
- Conservative management was effective for most injuries, but the potential for serious fractures necessitates caution.