Issue 042
October 2008
Why Use Them?
To prevent impact to the ears. Damage to the cartilage can cause the ear to swell up and may result in ‘cauliflower ear’. Aside from the impact on your good looks, cauliflower ears can be very painful in the short term, and in the long term may slightly impair your hearing (not to mention restricting your choice of earphones).
When Would You Use Them?
The surest way to prevent cauliflower ear would be to wear ear guards regularly for all your training. Almost nobody does this. Many fighters never bother with them at all, presumably because they feel less self conscious with an ear that looks like a vegetable than they do wearing ear guards. Those that do usually only wear them when they already have a sore ear. This can prevent further damage, reduce pain in training and allow the ear time to heal after being drained. If you have had problems with your ears in the past, or you don’t want to risk your modelling career, then you should at least wear your ear guards when wrestling.
Key Features
Design
There are several different designs of ear guard. The most common consists of two padded ear cups held together by adjustable straps that go around your head and under your chin. Others cover the entire head and are held in place with a single strap under the chin. You’ll need to try on several different ear guards to find the one that suits you. Factors to consider are ease of use, comfort and adjustability.
Hearing
All ear guards will reduce your hearing to some extent, but some are better than others in this respect. Not being able to hear while you are training can be anything from mildly irritating to downright dangerous (for example when you can’t hear your coach call “time”). This is something you can only discover by trial and error.
Key Feature
Ear Cups
The size and shape of the cups can make all the difference. You want one that will cradle the ear, and won’t slide around too easily. The depth matters as well – too tight to the ear won’t give much protection from knocks, but if they stick out too much you may run into problems if you need to pull your head out of a triangle in a hurry.
Always wanted to know...
What is cauliflower ear?
Cauliflower ear is when, after a heavy blow to the ear, a large clot of fluid or blood collects under the skin of the ear and blocks the flow of blood to the cartilage. This makes the ear look bumpy and lumpy, like a cauliflower. The technical name for cauliflower ear is perichondrial hematoma, and it can usually be treated immediately after the injury by a doctor, who can drain the clot and reconnect the skin to the cartlidge by applying a tight bandage. Oh, and we reckon Randy Couture has the worst cauliflower ears in MMA, so wear some ear guards please!
General Tips
Check it is correctly adjusted
It’s worth spending some time adjusting all the straps to make sure that the ear guards sit comfortably and securely on your head. Ear guards that slide around are more of a liability than a protection.
Wash your ear guards regularly and don’t share
Smelly ear-guards will not make you popular with your training partners but, more importantly, the neck and hairline are common areas for skin infections. This is also a good reason to avoid sharing ear guards – get your own, even if you only wear them for three weeks a year while your ear is sore.
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