Boxer's Fracture - Causes

Causes

Boxer’s fractures are usually caused by the impact of a clenched fist with a skull or a hard, immovable object, such as a wall. The knuckle of the index finger tends to lead the rest of the knuckles in a hard punch, and the knuckle compresses and snaps the neck of the metacarpal bone. When a boxer punches with proper form, the knuckles of the second and third metacarpal align linearly with the articulating radius, followed linearly by the humerus. As a proper punch makes contact, the force should travel from the rotating body across the humerus, straight across the radius, straight across the second and third metacarpals, finally transferring all the momentum and force from the respective knuckles to the point of contact. Due to the linear articulation of bones, the force is able to travel freely across these joints and bones. However, improper form causes the break to occur at an angle towards the palm, creating a dorsal bump, which ultimately causes the fracture, as the knuckle of the index finger tends to lead the rest of the knuckles in a hard punch, and the knuckle compresses and snaps the neck of the metacarpal bone.