Abnormal Fracture in a Boxer

The boxer's fracture gets the name from the location of the actual bone break. The most likely way an individual would break a hand in such a way is if he hit an object hard enough. This clearly pertains to boxing and the action of hitting an opponent. Ironically, an experienced boxer is unlikely to suffer the injury; one of the skills a trained boxer will first learn is to punch without hurting himself.

Location of Fracture

• The location of a boxer's fracture is found in the metacarpal bone area of the hand. The metacarpal bones connect the bones in a human wrist to the bones of the fingers. An individual is able to see the base of his metacarpal bones by forming a fist shape -- the base of the bones from the distinctive knuckles on the fist. Boxer's fractures are more common in the metacarpal bones of the pinky and ring fingers but are also occasionally found in the second and third metacarpal bones.

Dangers

• Other problems that an individual may experience with a boxer's fracture include potential open wounds. An open wound with a fracture makes inflections more likely. If an open wound is located near the fracture area, it is vital that the wound is cleaned properly. The individual must also take care to minimize the movement of the fractured hand as much as possible. Any attempts at movement will only cause further damage.

Steps to Healing

• If a boxer's fracture is identified in an individual, the first step a medical professional will do is treat the pain and immobilize the fractured hand to speed up the healing process. The best way to immobilize the fractured hand is with a splint. A proper splint is useful for preventing movement of both the hand and the joints located near the injury. In this case, these joints would be the fingers and the wrist. For a boxer's fracture, different splints may be used depending on the severity and actual shape of the fracture.

Pain and Swelling Treatment

• The pain factor must also be properly dealt with. Along with the obvious pain that comes from bone break injuries, there is likely to be a significant amount of swelling in the general break area. This usually occurs from the blunt trauma that causes the initial injury. The best method for treating pain caused by a boxer's fracture is the prescription of strong pain relief and anti-inflammatory drugs. Placing a cold substance, such as an ice pack, on the hand is useful for reducing the swelling but this is more appropriate once the hand has been splinted.