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It is very common to injure yourself while boxing due to bad techniques. Here we have outlined some of the common heavy bag injuries and what precautionary measures you people should take to avoid them and improve your boxing techniques.
Sprained Wrist
This is one of the most common wrist injuries from punching and almost every person who uses a heavy bag falls victim to it at some time. This happens when you damage the connective tissues that link your arm to your forearm. Sprains can be mild which can be due to an extra stretch or can be very serious leading to a complete tear of the ligament.
How to avoid it?
An effective way to avoid sprained wrist pain after punching bag aka the boxers wrist is by using hand wraps. There are numerous ways to wrap your hands but what you need to make sure is that you wrap your hand and wrist securely and have every part covered. You might already be using gloves but while wearing gloves, your wrist is not being supported from the sustained stress so it is advisable to use hand wraps.
Carpal Bossing
The carpal bossing punching bag injury is also called as the bump on the wrist. This usually involves a knock to the back of the wrist. It is a bump created where the long hand bones meet the small wrist bones. The joint can become swollen or bossed. It mainly occurs due to wrong boxing technique.
How to avoid it?
There is no set procedure to follow to prevent these type of punching bag injuries from happening other than being vigilant about the boxing techniques and taking care of yourself. It is important to take breaks between boxing sessions. Work on the techniques by shadow boxing in front of the mirror. Moreover, a wrist brace can also be worn to prevent this from happening.
Strained Dorsal Muscles
This is an easy to occur punching bag injury when throwing hard short punches. The most common mistake made is trying to hit the bag too hard which leads to the body being over-stressed and muscles getting strained. This can prevent you from working out for a few days.
How to avoid it?
One needs to focus on the posture and force with which they are hitting. It is important to control your power. There is a difference between hitting and pushing. To generate knockout power, land the punch when you are near to the full extension of your arms. If you feel any sort of strain, take a break immediately and ease your back muscles with light stretching.
Boxer’s Fracture
A boxer’s fracture is a crack in the neck (below the knuckle) or on ring or the little finger – known as fourth or fifth metacarpal. It is a common wrist pain after boxing among boxers as they punch a lot of immovable objects with closed fists. The fracture can result in instant pain and swelling on the affected area.
How to Avoid It?
Boxers should learn to use correct techniques to punch the punching bags. Bone density is another factor that should be kept in mind while punching. When the boxers are young it is more dense and they don’t feel the punches. But when they start to grow old, the density decreases. So, the boxers need to keep up a healthy life by eating calcium supplements and dairy products. Therefore, these types of punching bag injuries can be avoided.
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Is Punching the Heavy Bags Bad for Joints?
This is a common question asked by many users. Yes and no. Heavy bags are not bad for joints. There is a rare chance that you may get arthritis just by punching the bags. Although if you are not wearing gloves and hand wraps while punching the bags you may fracture your hands, but that doesn’t lead to arthritis.
Many professional boxers and enthusiasts who do boxing on a regular basis say that Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that coincides with old age, and is something you shouldn’t worry about unless you continually fracture your hands. (Source)
Solution to the problem:
Wear proper boxing kit before you start boxing to avoid wrist injuries from punching. You need hand wraps and sparring gloves of 14oz to punch the bag. Another thing to note here is that you may get arthritis even just by typing on the keyboard because that also involves mechanical movements. In fact, most boxers do not even get arthritis at all.
Here is how boxers can avoid forearm pain after boxing:
- Use proper punching techniques
- Use the right punching gloves
- Use high quality punching bags
- Strengthen your hands by proper exercise and pre-workout exercises to avoid fractures
- Wait between each punching session so that your body can recover
Boxing Tip from Expert to Avoid Punching Bag Injuries
Boxing coach Bill Packer says about Common Punching Bag injuries that anybody can punch a boxing bag around. But the real thing is to know how to hit the bag in the right way. This is a rare skill. He further says that the Proper use of a punching bag can build strength, endurance, power and technique. Punching the bag wrong is not only a waste of time but it can also have severe impact on your hand.
– Use boxing gloves to secure your hands from getting sprained.
– Stand close to the bag so that you can hit it with all your force instead of just your hands
– Use your feet to get the power from the ground and hit the punching bag in the right way
– Hit the punching bag with bigger knuckles of your hand. Hitting the bag with smaller knuckles can cause injury
– Perform a set of 3-4 strikes in one go. Drive your left hand while taking out the right punch from the punching bag. This way the impact will be distributed in your hands.
– Take boxing or punching bag classes from qualified trainers. Even if you get a few lessons, you will be in a better position to progress. Some trainers even offer one-hour session. You can get live sessions from them as well if no boxing trainer is available in your area.
List of Punching Bag Injuries
- Achilles tendon tear
- Cervical rib fracture
- Shin splints
- Tendinitis
- Ligament tear
- Collarbone fracture
- Achilles tendonitis
- Kneecap Fracture
- Rotator cuff tear
- Shoulder separation
- Subclavian artery tear
- Pectoralis major tear
Major Areas Impacts Due to Punching Bag Injuries
Punching bags can cause a wide variety of injuries, from bruises and cuts to broken bones and concussions. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Bruises: Punching bags can cause bruises, particularly if they are not properly padded.
- Cuts: If the bag is made of a material that can fray, such as leather, it can cause cuts.
- Broken bones: Punching bags can cause broken bones, particularly if they are not properly mounted.
- Concussions: A concussion can occur if the head is struck by a punching bag, even if it is properly padded.
