Purpose: This study aimed to examine the experience of severe knee, shoulder, and ankle injuries in elite Korean male wrestlers, focusing on a comparison between Greco-Roman (GR) and freestyle (FS) wrestling. Methods: A total of 90 wrestlers (46 GR and 44 FS aged 24.8±3.7 years) who participated in the national team selection tournament voluntarily participated in this study, selected by random sampling. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on severe injuries to the knee, shoulder, and ankle that resulted in a time loss of ≥3 weeks. Results: Approximately 41% of all participants experienced severe injuries to the knee, 21% to the shoulder, and 30% to the ankle. FS wrestlers were significantly more likely to experience severe knee injuries than GR wrestlers (p＜0.001), and they tended to require more time to return to play. Significant differences in specific maneuvers that caused severe knee (p＜0.001), shoulder (p=0.011), and ankle (p=0.002) injuries were observed by wrestling style. Conclusion The current findings indicate that the patterns of severe injuries in wrestling may vary by wrestling style, emphasizing the importance of developing wrestling style-specific injury prevention and management strategies.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate severe knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries in Korean men and women freestyle wrestlers, with a focus on gender comparison. Methods: A total of 90 wrestlers (44 men and 46 women, mean age 25.1±3.9 years) who consented to participation in the study were included as subjects. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate athletes’ experiences of severe knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries that limited their participation in training or matches for more than 3 weeks during their athletic careers and their postinjury management practices. Results: Severe injuries to the knee occurred in 55.6% of all participants, to the ankle in 34.4%, and to the shoulder in 28.9%. These severe injuries occurred mainly during wrestling technical training due to player contact mechanisms, with a high frequency during tackling movements. Only about half received specialized postinjury rehabilitation, and about 70% returned to training or competition without medical clearance. There were no gender differences in the characteristics of these injuries and their postinjury management. Conclusion The current findings suggest that Korean men and women freestyle wrestlers are likely to suffer severe knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries during their careers, but that postinjury management to ensure a safe return to training is inadequate.