Are you experiencing wrist pain from boxing? The first thing you should know is that no, your wrists should not hurt. What may be happening is that you are probably not wrapping your wrists adequately or you are not aligning your fists with your forearm.
If this is your case and you do not fix this ASAP, you may not be able to train for a while or may even have to get surgery in some cases. Since we are sure you do not want for it to get to that if you have been experiencing wrist pain when boxing, keep reading, this interests you!
Do not hesitate to consult a physician if you are experiencing severe pain or if it lasts longer than usual.
Common wrist injuries from punching
As we just told you above, it is likely that you are not using a proper technique or are not wrapping your wrists well. Your boxing coach may be able to help you with this and we’ll tell you more about it later, however, here are some of the most common wrist injuries you can suffer from punching and how to prevent them.
- Overuse
Boxers can suffer from overuse injuries in their wrists from constantly hitting the heavy bag or an opponent. It happens when the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the wrists are not able to adapt to the constant stress of repeated actions, in this case: punching.
This can happen too if the boxer does not take enough time off to recover and because of inadequate wrist support.
Some of the overuse wrist injuries in boxing can be carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis.
To prevent overuse injuries, you need to warm-up properly before training. Here are 10 warm-up tips we have prepared just for you that will prevent you from getting hurt while boxing. Also, make sure that your wrists are wrapped up snugly with appropriately sized boxing hand wraps and take breaks when needed.
2. Wrist Osteoarthritis
Another reason for wrist pain after punching the bag can be that you are experiencing wrist Osteoarthritis. This type of injury occurs when the cartilage in the joints starts to break down and you will experience pain and soreness. As we age, it is normal to feel this kind of pain, but boxers may experience it sooner because of the excessive use of this part of their body.
Wrist braces that support your wrists can alleviate pain, but if you are suffering from Osteoarthritis you need to take a break and consult a doctor who can prescribe you with the proper medication, which can sometimes include glucosamine supplements to protect your cartilage.
3. Carpal Bossing
Carpal Bossing consists of a hand injury sustained by many boxers that can cause soreness in the wrists. The person will also have a lump appear on the back of the hand where the long finger bones meet the wrist.
Swelling may also appear, as well as wrist pain from boxing. However, the use of a proper technique, allowing your body to recover after training, wearing hand wraps – as we have said before – and also wearing the right gloves can prevent you from having Carpal Bossing.
Nonetheless, if you have developed this injury already, please consult a physician as soon as possible since you may require surgery or specific treatments.
4. Boxer’s fracture
Lastly, the boxer’s fracture, which is something no one wants to experience and which can also cause wrist pain. Boxer’s fracture is when you break the long bone that connects the pinkie finger to the wrist and it usually occurs when a boxer hits an object with excessive force without wearing proper padding and support.
Of course, you will need medical attention immediately and the doctor may give you a cast or splint, anti-inflammatory medication and rest until the fracture is completely healed.
How to prevent wrist soreness from boxing
As you may have already noticed, most of the injuries to the wrists from boxing can be prevented using wrist wraps, padding, a correct technique and appropriate rest between training. Also, you are probably not keeping your fists aligned with your forearm when punching or maybe you were throwing hooks and you bent your wrists as you threw them.
When training, try to go light, do not use all you’ve got, especially with the bag, there’s no need to try to kill it. Relax your shoulders, your legs, breathe and work on speed because with it comes power. Remember that punches should come from your legs, core and shoulders.
As for wrist wraps, make sure they are secure and not loose, but not so tight that they cut off the blood circulation, they just need to feel firm. Don’t punch the bag with your bare fists, even if you are throwing a few punches at it. Wear wraps and gloves at all times.
The technique is very important. Throwing bad punches will result in damage to your wrists. Start off slow and when you feel that the punches are landing correctly, start to pick it up. Make sure you have proper bone alignment when punching and the wrist is straight with the arm and not bent when punching. Hit the target with your middle and index knuckles and not with the ring and pinky knuckles to avoid boxer’s fracture.
Don’t forget about how important it is to rest, but rest enough between training sessions. You should take one or two days off to recover your body, instead of taking weeks off because of an injury.
Also, you can do cross-training. You do not need to be punching bags every single day, all day to get in shape, not even if you are boxing seriously. Running and jumping rope are good exercises to consider and popular among boxers.
Warming up is essential, as we said above. Starting a workout with cold muscles will probably get you injured. Finally, do not overuse the heavy bag. Many beginners like to go and destroy the bag, like if they had something to prove. It is not a good idea; you must give yourself time to adjust to the bag.
Have you experienced wrist pain from boxing before? If so, do you know why and what did you do to prevent getting injured? Have you injured your wrists while boxing before? Tell us about your experience! Leave your comments below.
