hand injuries

**ryanand** · Posted On: 4/24/2006 6:06pm

sorry, i really didnt know where to post this cuz my question is about training MMA (with grappling included, obviously), not just striking.

im starting MMA on wednesday and i'm wondering how frequent hand injuries are in training. I'm a guitarist in a band so if my hands are fucked up, that = no money for ryanand.

this is probably gonna get trollshidoed but i have to get going so ill end it here.

thank you for the help.

**Mr. Mantis** · Posted On: 4/24/2006 6:55pm

Health forum

**ryanand** · Posted On: 4/24/2006 9:39pm

thank you very much

**Locu5** · Posted On: 4/25/2006 6:43am

Hand injuries are not frequent but a definite possibility. You can lower the risk by choosing a good gym/instructor who is focused on safety. You may find your hands are fatigued more often as you are giving them a double-dose of action. Take it easy and try it out. In the end, I think you will enjoy it; it is very rewarding.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 4/25/2006 8:35am

Wear wraps and gloves. I don't know of anyone at my boxing gym that hurt their hands while wearing proper gear and practicing safely.

I do know a few that hurt themselves not wearing the right gear while saying they'd go light or whatever.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 4/25/2006 10:08am

If I understand you correctly, you are saying your hands are your livelihood, yet you also wish to intentionally seek out a 'hobby' which puts them at much greater risk for injury.

Good luck with that. Let us know how it works out.

**ryanand** · Posted On: 4/25/2006 3:23pm

Originally Posted by Tom Kagan

If I understand you correctly, you are saying your hands are your livelihood, yet you also wish to intentionally seek out a 'hobby' which puts them at much greater risk for injury.

Good luck with that. Let us know how it works out.

not my livelihood, but a source of supplementary income nonetheless.

i like fighting a lot. and ive never done MMA so why not go and ask some people who have a clue how frequent injuries are?

**warnerj5000** · Posted On: 4/25/2006 3:52pm

Originally Posted by ryanand

not my livelihood, but a source of supplementary income nonetheless.

i like fighting a lot. and ive never done MMA so why not go and ask some people who have a clue how frequent injuries are?

I can't speak for MMA, but for boxing... Even with larger, more padded boxing gloves and proper hand wraps, my hands are sometimes sore after training. But with MMA training you probably won't just be punching-punching-punching-punching-punching for hours at a time, so that might make a difference.

I've also jammed my thumbs a few times, which is another thing to watch out for. Nothing major, but some discomfort.

Basically, I'm saying the risk of hand injury- at least minor injury- is there, so it's a risk to take if you need your hands for supplemental income.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 4/26/2006 5:02pm

Originally Posted by ryanand

not my livelihood, but a source of supplementary income nonetheless.

i like fighting a lot. and ive never done MMA so why not go and ask some people who have a clue how frequent injuries are?

You can break the 4th and/or 5th metacarpal bones in your hand in any number of ways doing any number of things. But, even orthopedic surgeons will explain it to laymen as a boxer's fracture. It got that nickname for a reason.

They are your hands. Do what you want with them. Regardless of the increased risk of breakage, I think a better question you need to ask yourself is whether you can live with the potential consequences. Not only should you be contemplating the downtime spent recovering from an injury, but the potential that any hand injury will not heal well enough to give you back the dexterity needed to play more intricate guitar fingering.

FWIW, I've never seriously injured my hands by hitting things. I've badly injured my right hand in other ways, however.