Vaibhav Somani, Director, Gravolite

A good quality wrestling mat is not merely a piece of wrestling equipment, it is one of the safety equipment that should be essentiallyincluded in every wrestling match or practice.

This bringsback to mind a 2014 instance from the Ahmedabad Department of Wrestling of Gujarat University. The department had organized an intercollege championship that started chaotically after participants, along with their coaches, protested against the worn-out mats rolled out for the matches. One of the participantshad exclaimed, “This is contact sport. It is important that the wrestling mat be of the best quality to minimise any chances of injury.”

The player’s biomechanics are greatly altered when a piece of equipment is added or absent, which may distract them from the game at hand or disrupt their attention. Since ancient times, wrestling has been practiced in India. The conventional formis performed in akhadas(a field of dug soil) and even mud pits, and is known as ‘pehlwani’. Because it requires constant physical contact, wrestling has a high injury rate. All of the body’s parts move during this sport, both consciously and unconsciously. Due to the nature of the game, both athletes are subjected to a variety of biomechanical pressures that might cause injury to various body parts.These variables include wrestling style, gender, age, type and intensity of exposure, etc.

How Mats Are Necessary for Injury Prevention in Wrestling

According to a 2022 study covering Indian wrestlers and published online on Musculoskeletal Radiology, the most often injured places were the knee, face, shoulder, ankle, and neck; most injuries were brought on by player contact, mat contact, or twisting forces.

The medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the knee are the most often injured knee ligaments. The leg frequently twists outward from the body’s midline as a result of these injuries. Although RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) can be used to treat first-degree sprains for the wrestlerto resume play once the discomfort has subsided, robust mats can help prevent more serious injuries in the long run.

A high-standard wrestling mat meets the following criteria:

• Foam with good tensile strength: This increases the shock absorption rate of the mat. Examples include PVC Rubber Nitrile foam and Cross-Linked Polyethylene foam.

• Protection against microbes: The substance used to construct the surface of a decent wrestling mat offers defence against the majority of common bacteria, yeasts, molds, and fungi that create stains and odors. Although it is not intended to shield users from pathogenic bacteria, it will assist combat microbes and keep the mat cleaner in between routine cleanings. Additionally, a good mat surface provides support and makes sure that you do not easily slip even while you are perspiring.

• Durable and comfortable: Last but the least, a good wrestling mat provides great comfort and durability. It has enough cushioning or extra padding to facilitate even hard-core game sessions. It is also designed to withstand throws, jumps, and other combative moves characteristic to wrestling.

All athletes, coaches, and trainers should prioritise preventing injuries. To prevent injury, the wrestler should always be instructed and watched over, with an emphasis on appropriate technique and equipment.This necessitates the use of high-quality tools, including mats.

How Sports Equipment Affect a Player’s Psychology

“The game is 80% mental and 20% physical,” Michael Jordan, the living basketball legend, once said. However, the certified sports psychology coach Christopher Mance II believes, as shared on Chrismance.com in 2021, no matter the sport, playing sports is entirely mental.

How we think and act, both have an impact on one another. Athletes and coaches frequently blame poor performance in practice and competition on overthinking as a result of this never-ending loop.Imagine if sports equipment—mats in the case of wrestlers—are not well-fitting or constantly cause discomfort, it maydistract the sportsperson by getting into their head. Sports equipment or accessories may seem like minor aspects to attach care to, but they can actually inhibit the player’s performance.

Increased Turn toward Mat Wrestling in India Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift in how mat wrestling is perceived here. The number of Olympic and world championship medals Indian wrestlers have lately earned is a clear indication of how well-liked this sport is in the nation right now. This is mostly due to the participation of the Indian government, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), and wrestlers. According to Vinod Tomar, Assistant Secretary of WFI, the pattern has altered over the years, and today mats are present in over 95% of academies and akhadas. The popularity of wrestling has increased significantly in India, doubling in the regions where it was previously prominent. This points to a rising interest in mat wrestling, along with agrowing need for professional mats.