Why do wrestlers have broken ears? How do ears break? Headphones as a means of protection against broken ears

Wrestling is a hand-to-hand fight between two strong people, where everyone tries to defeat the opponent by any permitted means. In a duel, opponents use throws, flips and grabs. Effective execution of techniques leads to victory, that is, knocking one of the fighters to the ground.

This sport is popular and in demand among parents of young athletes. Wrestling helps instill discipline, strong-willed qualities, as well as the development of physical abilities. At the same time, wrestling is one of the most traumatic sports. A high percentage of injuries are a consequence of interaction with an opponent during competitions or training. Various injuries occur in contact sports:

• concussion;
• fractures, dislocations;
• abrasions, scratches, bruises.

Athletes often break their ears in martial arts.

Causes of ear injuries in wrestlers

During a fight, situations occur after which the ear becomes shapeless and swollen, looking like a large dumpling:

• A hard grip is considered the main cause of ear damage. The attacker squeezes the opponent's head with his hands very tightly, like a vice. The attacker defends himself by moving his head. This damages the delicate ears. Due to the pressure during the reception, the ear cartilage can crack either immediately or after trying to free itself from the grip. Freestyle and classical wrestling are filled with similar techniques. For this reason, bruises of the soft tissues of the ear occur here quite often.
• Falls;
• Blows to the head and ears.

Therefore, wrestlers with experience try to avoid head grabs and minor blows to the ear area in a fight.

Providing first aid

You should not refuse medical help and hope that the injury will heal on its own.

1. You need to act clearly, quickly and planned. Prevent the victim from panicking.
2. Try to determine the extent of damage. If you notice small open wounds and minor hematomas, treat with antiseptic agents or other solutions that help prevent infection. Be sure to send to a doctor for examination.
3. If there is a serious rupture of the auricle or its complete loss, first of all you need to help cope with the consequences of painful shock. When there is loss of consciousness, revive the person with ammonia or a small amount of cold water.
4. Then apply a sterile bandage and wrap the torn part in a dry and clean cloth, but it is better to put it in a jar of ice. If you sew it on within the first ten hours from the moment of injury, the risk of complications will be minimal.

After the patient has been treated, everything must be done to prevent re-injury. In particular, you need to sleep carefully, avoid heavy physical labor, and give up active recreation and sports for a while.

As additional therapy, you can take vitamins and medications that speed up the healing process of wounds and cartilage. You can also drink teas made from rose hips, chamomile and other medicinal herbs - they help relieve inflammation and accelerate tissue regeneration.

If you do not have deep knowledge of medicine, there is no need to make serious decisions on your own; after providing first aid, take the victim to the nearest hospital. Do not attempt to stitch yourself. Under no circumstances should you make tight dressings!

After completion of rehabilitation, the patient should be observed by a doctor for some time to exclude the possibility of undesirable consequences.

How do ears break?

The ear is made of cartilage, not bone. When hit, it breaks. A characteristic feature of a fracture is acute pain, swelling and the presence of fluid inside. When the liquid hardens, it forms round shapes at the site of injury.

Many athletes self-medicate. They treat the injured area with hydrogen peroxide and drain the fluid using a syringe.

If such an injury occurs, the wrestler should urgently seek specialized help. Doctors pump out the blood, or make incisions with a scalpel, install drainage and apply a special bandage. The wrestler must be supervised. During his recovery, he is suspended from competitions and training.

Of course, not everyone is ready to do this. The athlete delays treatment, thereby contributing to the possible occurrence of complications:

1. the impossibility of restoring the ear to its previous shape due to the fact that the blood clot remains in the fracture area;
2. narrowing of the ear canal, which can contribute to decreased hearing acuity;
3. inflammation due to accumulated fluid, a rare phenomenon, but leading to more serious consequences.

Many athletes say that after several dozen ear cartilage fractures, they no longer pay much attention to it. Alexander Karelin is one of the few wrestlers who managed to avoid such injuries in his career.

Possible complications

With proper care and treatment, the prognosis is quite favorable . But in some cases complications may arise in the form of:

• excruciating pain in the ears;
• acute headaches, pain radiating to the jaw area;
• stuffiness and discomfort in the ear;
• sulfur secretions;
• purulent discharge;
• traffic jams;
• constant noise and crackling.

Delayed assistance can lead to the development of disability. You can not only completely or partially lose the ability to hear, but also get a neurological disease.

Incorrect treatment can cause enormous harm to health, even death, which can occur in particularly advanced cases if a severe infection has developed that has completely damaged the hearing aid and affected the brain.

Headphones as a means of protection against broken ears

Every wrestler sooner or later starts using ear protection during training. It increases work productivity and helps reduce the risk of injury.

Special equipment for ear protection in accordance with the rules of wrestling are accessories that are certified by FILA.

The main properties of such athlete equipment:

• convenience – headphones should not contain metal elements;
• reliability – good protection against blows in a duel;
• comfort – equipment should not put pressure on damaged ears, as this can lead to discomfort and deterioration in overall well-being during training.

The use of headphones is a voluntary decision of the athlete. In rare cases, a referee may force a wrestler whose hair is too long to wear protection.

Broken ears among young people are a fighting “license”

“This is common among young guys. Serves as an indicator that you are a “real” fighter. This is a kind of “certificate” for them,” world champion in combat sambo Magomedkhan Aisaev tells Gol. “When I was young, I had a dream of breaking my ears, but that didn’t happen. Now I understand that this is the stupidity of youth. Using protection? Why do we need to hide them? It's prestigious for us to walk around with broken ears. I broke my ears, but it's not entirely noticeable. In my case, they sometimes swell slightly.”

Do ear injuries make a wrestler look bad?

The wrestler can be recognized by his athletic build, as well as his broken ears. Athletes themselves call deformed ears a cost of their profession, often not attaching much importance to the injury.

Inexperienced athletes, for the sake of respectability and recognition, resort to independent deformation of the auricle. Many wrestlers, after a cartilage fracture, stop wearing headgear, considering the illness a sign of solidity and a kind of experience. But it is not broken ears that are the characteristic feature of a professional and a champion. Status is indicated by his awards, popularity and income level.

When choosing a sport, it is important to consider your abilities, development prospects, and possible injuries. Wrestling, despite its risk of injury, has been and remains attractive and in demand all over the world, and legends continue to circulate about ear injuries in martial arts.

How they get injured

Journalists from the Match TV channel, researching this topic, asked medical specialists and professional athletes, and looked at the corresponding profiles on social networks. As a result, it turned out that broken ears are a trend. More than a dozen accounts on Instagram offer to break the ear “correctly”; this service costs up to 1.5 thousand rubles. According to the world champion in combat sambo, MMA fighter Rasul Mirzaev, since childhood he really wanted his ear to be broken, and in adolescence this happened.

Sports medicine doctor, head physician of the International League of Mixed Martial Arts PROFC Valentin Belyaevsky confirms: such a prejudice really exists - while practicing in Rostov, he saw that some wrestlers with broken ears do not even wear hats in winter so that the “outstanding” defect is visible. Belyaevsky also worked in Grozny. There, according to him, athletes treat such injuries completely calmly, like any other received as a result of a fight.

World champion in freestyle wrestling Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov has a professional’s opinion about the “prestige” of broken ears in wrestlers: this can only be boasted to journalists - a professional wrestler knows who won what award at this or that championship, ears are not an indicator here.

Kuramagomedov says that mostly during a fight, ears are broken when the grip is broken or when the hip is pressed. For example, this happened to MMA fighter Alexei Makhno when he “went through his legs and stuck his pelvic bone.”

Treatment

First, the doctor examines the patient to assess the damage. Additionally, otoscopy may be required - a method for diagnosing ear diseases.

Treatment is prescribed depending on the degree of damage. The following is used as therapy:

• medicines;
• physiotherapy;
• laser therapy;
• surgical intervention.

Drug treatment

In non-serious cases, a specialist may prescribe medication. For this purpose, various groups of drugs are used:

• painkillers – relieve discomfort;
• anti-inflammatory – help reduce inflammation;
• antibacterial – used to prevent and treat bacterial infections;
• diuretics – remove excess water, help get rid of swelling;
• calcium-containing – replenish the deficiency of the microelement and accelerate the fusion of cartilage;
• vitamin complexes. They are necessary to compensate for the deficiency of nutrients. You can find many vitamin complexes in the pharmacy chain, so the patient will choose the one he likes.

Attention! It is prohibited to self-prescribe medication. Treatment is selected by the doctor based on individual characteristics and type of fracture.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy after a fracture helps speed up recovery and avoid various disorders. The use of therapy is possible only on the recommendation of a doctor. Indications for use:

• removal of swelling;
• reduction of pain;
• improving blood circulation in the affected area;
• reduction of the recovery period;
• prevention of infection.

Physiotherapy has contraindications:

• heat;
• open tuberculosis;
• severe damage to the liver and kidneys;
• malignant tumor;
• wearing a pacemaker;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• poor blood clotting;
• childhood.

Laser therapy

The fracture involves the use of laser therapy to speed up recovery. A laser is an optical device that emits electromagnetic radiation. With the help of such therapy, it is possible to speed up the processes of tissue metabolism and healing, relieve inflammation and pain, and reduce swelling.

The following can be identified as contraindications:

• high body temperature;
• open form of tuberculosis;
• sepsis due to a complex fracture;
• malignant neoplasm;
• impaired blood clotting;
• pathologies in the functioning of the hematopoietic organs;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• childhood.

Surgical intervention

Treatment is individual for each patient. If the injury is minor due to an ear fracture, applying a bandage and using lotions is sufficient. But, in more serious cases, surgery is necessary.

If the middle ear is damaged, the area is treated and a sterile bandage is applied. Next, the organ is inspected to remove blood or fluid.

If the injury is extensive and a fragment or the entire ear is lost, this part is sewn back on. The most important thing is to ensure integrity before surgery. To do this, wrap the part with a clean, damp cloth and cover it with ice. The integrity of the organ can be easily restored within 10 hours. After the operation, individual therapy is prescribed.

Correctors for protruding ears

Nowadays, many correctors are offered to get rid of protruding ears. They all have a similar design and a similar principle of operation. The accessory consists of two transparent silicone parts that are fastened together and are invisible when worn. All brands of products work the same. The slight differences are in the attachment method and wearing comfort. A separate corrector is glued to the skin of the ear with a special hypoallergenic glue, and the other part is glued to the head. When fastened together, the two parts of the corrector give the ear the correct shape, pressing it to the temples. After some time, the cartilage takes on the desired position, and you no longer need to wear a corrector.

Is it possible to correct protruding ears with a corrector?

To achieve the expected result, the corrector must be worn for six months to a year, although some manufacturers promise to make the ears straight in just a month. There is no 100% guarantee that the corrector will get rid of protruding ears. In addition, it is very important to wear the products constantly, and due to the discomfort and/or irritation caused to the skin, many people neglect this rule, which also has a bad effect on the result. You can correct your ears in this way at any age, but the sooner the better.

It is important to give your ears a good kneading to promote blood flow. Example - Karelin

Karelin was also a little lucky with the anatomy of his ears (they are soft). He says that before fights he carefully stretched his ears and stuck his head in the grips less, so he avoided injuries.

Master of sports in jiu-jitsu Daud Adaev in an interview with Golu confirms: “Of course, you need to warm up your ears. But it all depends on the elasticity of the cartilage itself. Although broken ears, if the fracture is not fresh, do not interfere at all during fights or training. If fresh, then it is better to refrain from training where there is wrestling or striking. The sensations are quite painful."

Khabib ears

Inspired by comments to a sensational post.
What's wrong with the ears of Caucasian fighters? Why do ears turn into such dumplings? In fact, this shape of ears is generally not associated with nationality, but in the North Caucasus the chances of meeting a man with ears “like Khabib” are many times higher than in any other place, but more on that below.

The auricle is cartilage that is sensitive to damage and becomes deformed under strong external influence. However, in medical terminology there is no concept of “ear fracture”. Such injuries are called “soft tissue contusion” or “auricular injury.” However, in a sports environment, such ears are still more often called broken.

Broken ears are an occupational injury among wrestlers and MMA fighters. The main reason is the hard contact of the ear with the surface. When a wrestler tries to break out of a hold. After an injury, a free space forms in the auricle, which is filled with blood, connective tissue and other nonsense, which hardens and gives the ears an unusual shape and swelling. With regular injuries, the ears harden and the lobes turn into hard balls.

The result of such processes are dumpling-shaped ears, as fight fans affectionately call them. Caucasian and non-Caucasian athletes, men and women, are equally susceptible to such injuries, just look at UFC fighters, especially those who specialize in wrestling.

Khabib Nurmagomedov first broke his ear at the age of 15-16. "It was very painful. It happens that you sleep at night, your ear hurts, and you suddenly wake up from pain. Still. There is no need to do this. Moreover, I have not seen that it gives any dividends. You have to think and not act,” explains Habib.

But in the Caucasus, belonging to sports equals high status: respect from men and increased attention from girls. Young people deliberately break their ears using hammers, and especially inventive guys use plastic bottles. On Instagram you can find accounts of ear breaking services (as they called it in one of the news releases on the topic).

According to information on the Internet, some private masters have even acquired price lists, which they use to break the ears of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s loyal fans. For a broken right ear you will have to pay 1,000 rubles, for the left - 1,500 rubles. “In Dagestan they say that it is more expensive to break the left ear than the right one. Because when you’re driving, the left one lights up, but the right one isn’t particularly visible,” jokes Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib himself does not believe at all that fashionable “tinted” ears help a person earn respect. Fashion seems to him funny and humiliating for a person. After all, instead of being an athlete, a person chooses a cheap simulation.

How to break your ear without reason and pain at home

To heal a broken ear, it is necessary to use the technique of pumping out fluid from under the skin. But even in this case, one procedure is not always enough. It is much easier to intentionally quickly damage the auricle. It is believed that the procedure can make a man more masculine.

Fast in 5 minutes

To carry out a radical procedure at home, you need to choose the most suitable method. It is important that it brings a minimum of pain, is implemented easily and is as less traumatic as possible. The most suitable methods:

1. Using a hammer. To do this, you need to pull back the auricle and place it on a table or chair. Then you will need to hit it with a hammer, applying moderate force.
2. Using a rolling pin or other heavy object. The hammer itself is quite traumatic, so it only needs to hit the auricle to complete the procedure. If you have another heavy object at hand, it is recommended to first roll your ear into a tube.
3. Door. It is enough to protrude the organ and insert it into the doorway, then carefully pinch it. This procedure will take place in less than 5 minutes.

The listed methods can cause long-term pain, which can only be relieved in a hospital. But how to break your ear without cause or pain at home in 5 minutes? It is first recommended to apply a piece of ice to the organ or inject an anesthetic (Lidocaine) so that it loses sensitivity.

Note: Even with anesthesia, there is a good chance that the ear will remain sore for an extended period of time. Therefore, it is necessary to additionally keep painkillers in tablets (Tempalgin, Ketorol, Analgin, etc.) on hand.

Special establishments also provide reshaping services. If you lack confidence and professionalism, it is best to go to them, as professionals will cause minimal pain and can guarantee a low chance of complications. Today there are few such establishments, but it is possible that fashion will increase their number in Russia and abroad.

How to break an ear with a book

Creating trauma with the help of a book is practiced as the most painless, easy and accurate way. It can be implemented in two main ways:

• hit the auricle with a sharp angle (an assistant and maximum effort will be required);
• pinch the organ between the pages and hit the book with a hammer or other heavy object.

Before striking, it is recommended to roll the cartilage into a tube to increase the likelihood of a fracture. You must first prepare anesthesia and painkillers. If a severe and dense hematoma or bleeding occurs, you should seek medical help.

How to properly break an ear

Doctors strongly do not recommend damaging the ears on your own, as this can cause complications and severe pain. But if the decision is made, it is best to turn to professionals who can correctly and painlessly inflict injury. If this is not possible, when performing the procedure you must adhere to the following rules:

• use painkillers and anesthesia (it is better to ask an experienced specialist or physician for an injection);
• make a fracture only with clean and sterile objects;
• prevent bleeding;
• monitor the condition and appearance of the auricle after a fracture.

You can understand that you have broken the cartilage after a few hours, when it acquires a rounded shape and swelling. It is recommended to compare the finished result using a photo or video.

Note: If the organ appears painful, bleeds, or changes color, seek medical attention.

At what age is correction of protruding ears recommended?

Surgical correction is usually recommended after five years. By this age, the ears will be practically formed, although they will continue to grow. Excision of excess cartilage with a scalpel can be performed on a child no earlier than six years of age, and preferably after eight years. If the deformation is significant, then it is better to correct it before school to avoid problems with the child’s socialization. Home and other non-surgical methods can be tried at any age.

Further actions

Once you have received the necessary first aid, you should not relax. The damaged ear must be protected for at least a month. Moreover, we are talking not only about the fact that wrestlers must be extremely careful in training.

Victims need to remember that they should not even rub or scratch their ears. They should be especially careful while sleeping, because if they turn their heads incorrectly, they can hit the damaged shell.

It is strictly forbidden to try to show someone by your own example how to break an ear, fiddle with it, and even more so, bend it.

With timely medical care and the use of prescribed medications, the sinks will quickly return to their previous state. Flattened and enlarged ears are most often the result of self-medication.

How to get rid of protruding ears through surgery?

Surgical correction is the only completely effective way to get rid of a defect with a guaranteed result. The operation is called “otoplasty” and is performed from 6-7 years of age, including adults.

There are two methods of otoplasty – classic scalpel and laser. An incision about 4-5 cm long is made at the back of the ear. Through it, the cartilage is released, which is then trimmed and attached in a new place. When using a laser, manipulations are more precise and almost bloodless. After the operation, stitches, a bandage and an elastic bandage are applied. The procedure lasts about an hour under general anesthesia or local anesthesia.

Read more about otoplasty here

How to tell if your ear is broken

Many people receive bruises and other injuries and do not know how to understand that it was the cartilage that was broken. Similar injuries occur when:

• strong impacts;
• falls;
• pinching and clamping;
• collisions.

To determine the presence of a fracture, it is necessary to evaluate its appearance immediately after the lesion. If the ear is very swollen and rounded, it means that fluid and blood are getting under the layer of skin. Long-term persistence of the effect is characteristic of a cartilage fracture. It is recommended to compare it by photo. Immediately after the injury, a non-reducing hematoma and severe pain may occur. If it appears, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Timely provision of assistance will significantly reduce the likelihood of complications and improve the aesthetic appearance of the ear.

General information about the building violation

Broken ears are a collection of several types of injuries.
Although the concept of “broken ears” itself is false, since when the ear organ is injured, only the cartilage breaks, since there are no bones in the external organ of hearing. Most often, boxers or lovers of oriental arts suffer from this type of injury, since in this sport there are often grabs that touch the ears.

In this case, it is impossible to immediately understand that a person has a broken ear. This is due to the active production of hormones. However, after a couple of hours, a large hematoma forms at the site of injury, which is filled with a specific liquid.

In case of untimely treatment, the patient’s outer ear and the hearing organ as a whole may become deformed. Often with such fractures, perforations form on the eardrum, which poses a great danger to a person’s life.

In addition to injuries to the bone walls of wrestlers, children often suffer from such injuries during active games and due to their childish spontaneity and lack of self-defense.

Unfortunately, children tolerate this type of injury very poorly, since the pain spreads not only to the ears, but also to the surrounding tissues.

The first signs of a broken ear

For the most part, only the outer ear is affected. However, in rare cases, it can cause injury to both the middle and inner ear.

Please note the following causes of injury.

After studying them, you will accurately identify an ear injury:

1. Severe bruise.
2. Fall on the ear.
3. Animal bites.
4. Mechanical injury.
5. Extreme activity.
6. Active sports.

These signs are considered direct injuries that destroy the structure of the ear and cause a lot of unpleasant symptoms.

In addition to the listed signs, if the cartilage in the ear is broken, the symptoms are as follows:

• congenital pathology. In this case, the ear may acquire a non-standard shape, which causes deformation of the hearing organs;
• perforation of the auricle. In this situation, part of the shell is torn off due to a gunshot wound or an animal bite;
• with subcutaneous bleeding, a hematoma appears. It can provoke the appearance of lymph and negatively affect your state of health;
• In case of damage to the ear canal, hearing loss and copious bleeding are noted. The symptoms of a broken ear in the photo are as follows:

Consequences of an ear fracture in wrestlers

Signs of injury in a child

Symptoms and signs of damage in children are in most cases similar to those in adults. However, for the most part, disorders of the structure of the hearing organ are associated not with active sports, but with children's games.

Remember that childhood fractures occur for reasons such as:

• a child falling from a height;
• active games in open areas;
• practicing oriental or martial arts.

In addition to the reasons listed, there can be a great variety of reasons for injury.

Therefore, it is important to know the following signs:

1. Redness of the ear.
2. Severe ear pain.
3. Violation of tissue integrity.
4. Loss of hearing acuity.
5. The appearance of hematomas.
6. Severe dizziness.
7. Bloody discharge from the ears.

If you have identified even several of the listed reasons, you should immediately contact a specialist. In this way, you will protect the child from complications and facilitate further treatment.