Recommendations to Prevent Staphylococcal Skin Infection in
Wrestlers & Other Sports Participants

Nebraska Health and Human Services System, Office of Epidemiology

• Exclude players with potentially infectious skin lesions from practice, competition, lifting weights or sharing facilities with others until after the affected player has been examined and treated by a physician. Their return to practice or other activities should only be allowed when the lesions are healed and drainage or other signs of infection have resolved as determined by a medically trained individual.
• Encourage all athletes to seek professional medical care for wounds that appear infected and to comply fully with their doctor’s recommendations.  
• Require good hygiene at all times, including mandatory showering and thorough washing by all participants with an antibacterial soap such as Hibiclens® or an equivalent before and after practice or competition for a minimum of one month.
• Do not allow players to share towels or other personal items (e.g. clothing, equipment, balms or lubricants).
• Require that participants have clean clothing and equipment prior to all practices or competitions. Clothing and equipment should be laundered using a weak bleach solution.
• Non-washable gear (e.g. head protectors), should be wiped down with alcohol after each use.
• Disinfect wrestling mats at least twice daily with an antibacterial solution with demonstrated activity against Staphylococcus aureus.
  1. Immediately following practice or competition.
  2. During a halfway practice break (if possible) or prior to the start of competitions.
• Ensure that disinfectant is prepared to the proper use concentration and that this working solution remains on surfaces for the recommended contact time.
• Clean and disinfect other shared equipment and surfaces daily (e.g. weights, locker room surfaces, training equipment, etc.).
• Encourage athletes to use a towel or clothing to act as a barrier between shared equipment and bare skin (e.g. weight room and locker room benches).
• Provide personal skin protection with pads or bandaging to prevent superficial skin trauma.
• Assess all participants for active skin lesions prior to all practices or competitions.  Pre-participation inspection should only be performed by knowledgeable and qualified individuals who can readily recognize potentially infectious lesions.
• Encourage athletes to report skin lesions to coaches, trainers, the school nurse or their healthcare provider immediately.
• Any cut or break in the skin should be washed with soap and water and a clean, dry dressing applied on a daily basis, before and after participation in close contact sports, and after using any sports facilities.