Repetitive head impact exposure in collegiate wrestling practices using instrumented mouthguard technology

Collegiate wrestling presents a higher risk of concussion than American football. However, there is limited research on repetitive head impact exposure in wrestling, and how it compares to football is unknown. Therefore, this study explores repetitive head impacts in Division 1 collegiate wrestlers (n = 11, age = 20 ± 2 years, 125-285 lbs) during the 2019-2020 wrestling season. Using an instrumented mouthguard, we examined impact numbers and head kinematics, including linear acceleration, angular velocity, and angular acceleration. Of the 246 true positive impacts identified, 60% were head-to-body, 30.1% head-to-head, and 9.9% head-to-ground. Although head-to-ground impacts demonstrated higher magnitudes, differences were not significant. The median PLA was 39.89 g, which is higher than previous reports of head impacts in football. This study provides insights for future wrestling research and the development of safety interventions, such as protective headgear or specialized training exercises, to reduce risks of brain trauma for wrestlers.