Just 30 years ago, Dr. Mohab Foad was competing in the State High School Wrestling Tournament — now it’s his son’s turn.
Our Beacon specialists often know more about what our athletes are going through than most people realize, as many are athletes themselves. Beacon’s own Dr. Mohab Foad, a hand and upper extremity specialist, wrestled competitively in high school and college and has passed on the love of the sport to his son, Harris, who’s preparing to compete in the state tournament for Indian Hill High School.
Deep into the high school wrestling post-season, we sat down with Dr. Foad to get his insights on the sport as well as a peek into his past as a wrestler.
Do you have any medical tips for wrestlers from an orthopaedic perspective?
Listen to your body and take care of it. Weight management will always be an important part of wrestling, but proper planning and reasonable goals are so important for a long, healthy, and successful season. Athletic performance suffers greatly with even modest dehydration, but the temptation to go down a weight class is so strong that wrestlers often sacrifice performance trying to gain a competitive edge. I encourage athletes to wrestle at a weight they can comfortably maintain without having to struggle for weigh-ins week after week. Most importantly, enjoy wrestling, it’s not about any single competition — it’s about how you approach life in general.
Let’s talk weight class…
Harris currently wrestles at 138 lbs, but he is bigger and stronger than I ever was. I wrestled at 112 lbs in high school at Cincinnati Country Day School (CCDS) and 118 lbs when I last wrestled my senior year in college.
What’s your signature move? What about your son?
My go-to move was the cradle, and Harris’ is a fireman’s carry. He is a much better wrestler than I ever was.
Have any records to your name?
I do not believe that I hold any special records as a wrestler. I got back on the mat as a senior in college after being away from it for three years. College wrestling is on a whole other level, and I lost every match that I wrestled. I was having so much fun being back on the mat that despite losing every collegiate match, I did so with a smile on my face. Maybe that’s a record ! Harris plans on wrestling at Washington and Lee University in college, in the same conference as The Johns Hopkins University where I wrestled. I hope he enjoys it and has as much fun as I did.
You seem like a natural-born leader. Did you happen to be team captain?
I was the team captain for my high school team and served a leadership role in college. Harris is one of the team captains at Indian Hill.
What’s it been like to share a love of wrestling with your son?
It has been great! We had the opportunity to travel to some out-of-state national tournaments this summer, just the two of us. Those opportunities don’t come by often, and I am so happy that we took advantage of it to spend time together while doing something we both love. I am very proud of his accomplishments, but more importantly, I’m proud of the person he is and how he treats everyone around him, win or lose.
How did Dr. Nicole Goddard and you start covering the Division II Southwest District Wrestling Championship in Wilmington?
Dr. Goddard has an established practice in Wilmington and a relationship with the high school and Wilmington College. I went to the tournament with Harris two years ago to watch his friends compete as he was recovering from surgery on his knee and wrist, which forced him to miss the post-season. I saw Dr. Goddard providing medical coverage and figured I would pitch in and help. I get to watch some good wrestling and feel like I am giving something back to the wrestling community. The people in Wilmington have been great, and I hope to continue to provide coverage for years to come, after Harris graduates.
How did COVID-19 precautions impact the structure of this year's tournament look like?
The tournament was held over three days instead of two, with the weight classes divided into two groups such that only half of the normal number of wrestlers were in the building at once. The number of spectators was limited as well in an effort to limit the number of people in the facility at any time. The event looked very different than usual, as will the state tournament, but I am thankful that we are having a post-season at this point. One of the positive things to come out of this was that many events are being live streamed so that people can view the action from home.
What types of injuries do you watch for at tournaments?
I am always hoping for a quiet tournament where no one needs my expertise. Common injuries include finger and thumb sprains, elbow sprains or dislocations, clavicle fractures and AC joint injuries. Knee injuries are also common such at ligament sprains and rarely ACL tears. Bloody noses and minor cuts and scrapes are common but rarely require ongoing treatment. Concussions are one of the most concerning injuries as far as the long-term consequences, and we thankfully have resources to guide those athletes through their recovery.
What's the plan for State?
The state tournament is a little different this year secondary to the COVID-19 restrictions. Each high school division will have its tournament in its own location instead of having all three divisions at the Schottenstein Center on the Ohio State University Campus. We will miss the fanfare and the “experience” of the tournament but are very happy to be wrestling at all at this point. Harris will do his best, and we will see how it all turns out. He achieved the goals he set and is already a champion as far as I am concerned.
Do you have a young athlete at home?
Our specialists are here to help young athletes enjoy their sport -of-choice to the fullest — whether it's to help them stay in peak performance through our Bridge Program or work them to get to the root of any aches or pains they may be experiencing. Same-day and telehealth appointments are available. Urgent care is also a service option at some Beacon locations.
