It’s no secret that boxing is one of the most dangerous, aggressive sports out there. While KOs are astronomically rare, however, this reputation of boxing is surely not because of make-believe and hyperbole. Boxing can be dangerous, and in rare cases even lethal. But, this also makes it one of the most exciting, prestigious and popular fighting sports.
But today I’ll talk about the less glamorous and exciting aspect of boxing – the injuries. Yup, you heard that right. Messy, huh?
Pain in the face. And not just in the face.
Without further ado, here are the 5 most common boxing injuries you need to be aware of – don’t say I didn’t warn you.
#1 BOXER’S FRACTURE
‘Boxer’s Fracture’ is basically a break in the small bones of your palm, more precisely, just under the ring finger and the little finger (also known as the pinky). You can often get the boxer’s fractur
e when punching an immovable object hard with a closed fist. The sturdier bones survive the shock, no problem.
However, the more fragile and thinner bones of the fourth and fifth metacarpal (bones of your hand) take the brunt of the force and get fractured. Symptoms include sharp pain in the hand right after the punch, swelling, difficulty moving, discoloration.
How to prevent Boxers Fracture?
Learning to punch correctly is the key to ensuring the health of your hands. Another key factor is bone density – as we age, our body parts will decrease in size and strength, so an adequate diet of dairy products (calcium source) combined with a healthy active lifestyle will help.
I got injured! What now?
Seek out medical attention immediately, and make sure you get an X-Ray to confirm the diagnosis. If the small bones in the finger are still aligned, then you can be saved! The broken finger may be immobilized to allow the bone to heal. If the small bones are not aligned, surgery may be required to set them in place. Ice sure helps, and the usual recovery time lasts anywhere between 6-10 weeks. As a consequence, you may experience a slight loss in grip strength, but usually nothing serious.
#2 CARPAL BOSSING
You’ve probably seen someone with this, or you’ve already experienced it first hand (pun intended!) But what is this thing, huh? It looks so weird… Carpal bossing can best be described as a slight massing of bone at the back of your palm. This usually causes little pain and maybe some discomfort, depending on the strain put on your hand. This injury also appears to have its favorite age group – it mostly afflicts people older than 20, and younger than 40. Right in the manhood… Or womanhood, as it may be – beg your pardon, ladies.
How to prevent Carpal Bossing?
Again, being careful with your hands is im
perative. However, who am I kidding… this is boxing, and it’s messy. You can get carpal bossed if you suffer a strong blow to the back of your wrist. So, equipment sure helps and leveling up your dodging skill. Besides taking care of yourself, resting also helps, since it allows the body to recover from all the hits. Ice is beneficial as well. Wearing good boxing gloves, and quality hand wraps is a must.
I got injured! What now?
Well… not much can be done here, frankly. Visit the doctor, who’ll probably prescribe you some anti-inflammatory meds. A wrist guard can also be recommended, and a steroid injection as well. In rare cases, surgery is necessary – but don’t worry, the rate of excellent recovery is 85%.
#3 CUTS AND LACERATIONS
Pretty self-explanatory. These happen when an opponent punches you. They either happen because the attack was so strong that your skin got crumpled too quickly and tore, or because the angle of the glove or some irregularity on it scratched you. Or receiving a head-butt.
How to prevent cuts and lacerations?
Protective headgear. But besides that, you’d also need to get better at dodging and defense. Sometimes, oils and lotions help keep your face smooth and slippery, lessening friction and reducing the chance of this type of injury.
I got injured! What now?
Your best bet is to have the area cleaned and dressed appropriately. Sometimes stitching will be required.
#4 SHOULDER DISLOCATION
The name says it all. Your upper arm (humerus) bone is getting torn away from your shoulder (scapula). It hurts like hell, probably because someone just blasted a powerful punch you in the arm. Besides the pain, you’ll also notice that you can’t move your arm.
How to prevent shoulder dislocation?
Well, the consensus is that keeping in shape and your body compact during about is the best thing to avoid dislocating your shoulder. Be careful not to overdo your swings, and keep your arms close to your body. Stretching before a match also helps.
I got injured! Now what?
Find a doctor, ASAP. While some dislocations, like the anterior dislocation, are the easiest type to deal with and recognize, more complex shoulder dislocations need expertise and medical care. The first step is to set the joint back in place – but please don’t try to do this on your own. Leave it to the pros. Recovery lasts anywhere from 2-3 weeks.
#5 CONCUSSION
Ah, the bane of boxing. Usually the result of hitting your head after a fall or getting knocked out because of a strong punch in the head. Concussions are traumatic injuries, meaning that any way you turn it there will be some damage done to your brain and you will either be impaired temporarily or – permanently. These injuries happen rarely, but as the saying goes – being forewarned is being forearmed.
How to prevent concussions?
Frankly, there are no real preventive measures, since concussions happen by accident. Headgear helps, it goes without saying.
I got injured! Now what?
If you’re one of the lucky few and the concussion is very light, it may simply heal in the matter of a day or so of resting. But more complicated concussions need to be overseen by doctors, due to the sheer number of things that can go wrong. Recovery can take days, weeks, or months.