If you or your child play sports and have large or protruding ears, there may be a greater risk of injury. Contact sports such as martial arts or football are especially problematic. With the increased popularity of crossover sports including rugby and Australian Rules football, more athletes are considering reducing the prominence of their ears.
While adult athletes can benefit from ear pinning and similar surgical procedures, children are more likely to benefit over the long term. When these treatments are provided to younger candidates, the risk of visible scarring from surgery and injury during competition are reduced.
Martial Arts
In most full contact martial arts, the ears are a common target. Whether your chosen discipline involves striking or grappling, there is an increased risk of injury to larger or protruding ears. By reducing the size of the target, martial artists can make striking effectively difficult for opponents. Similar, smaller ears reduce a grappler’s ability to grip the head during chokes or other submissions.
When the ears are damaged during martial arts competitions, the likelihood of reinjuring the same area is increased. Reparative surgeries may therefore include removing cartilage to prevent localized scar tissue from splitting.
Non-Combative Contact Sports
Non-combative contact sports may actually lead to greater risk of ear injuries than martial arts. Rugby is a good example of a ball sport where “cauliflower ear” is an occupational hazard. While this condition is largely unavoidable for many athletes in these disciplines, minimizing the severity of damage is achievable with the right ear surgeries or enhancements.
To learn more about options for repairing damage to ears from athletic activities, consult with Dr. Benjamin C. Stong of Kalos Plastic Surgery in Atlanta, GA. We can tailor all your cosmetic treatments to reflect the risks faced while engaging in the sports you love.
