| Boxer's fracture | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Metacarpal neck fracture of the little finger, scrapper's fracture,[1] bar room fracture, street fighter's fracture[1] |
 | |
| Boxer's fracture of the 5th metacarpal head from punching a wall | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine, orthopedics |
| Symptoms | Pain, depressed knuckle[2] |
| Causes | Hitting an object with a closed fist[3] |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms and confirmed by X-rays[3] |
| Treatment | Buddy taping and a tensor bandage, reduction and splinting[4][3] |
| Medication | Ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen)[3] |
| Prognosis | Generally good[4] |
| Frequency | 20% of hand fractures[4] |
A boxer's fracture is the break of the fifth metacarpal bone of the hand near the knuckle.[4] Occasionally, it is used to refer to fractures of the fourth metacarpal as well.[1] Symptoms include pain and a depressed knuckle.[2]
Classically, it occurs after a person hits an object with a closed fist.[3] The knuckle is then bent towards the palm of the hand.[3] Diagnosis is generally suspected based on symptoms and confirmed with X-rays.[3]
For most fractures with less than 70 degrees of angulation, buddy taping and a tensor bandage resulted in similar outcomes to reduction with splinting.[4] In those with more than 70 degrees of angulation or in which the broken finger is rotated, reduction and splinting may be recommended.[3]
They represent about a fifth of hand fractures.[4] They occur more commonly in males than females.[4] Both short and long term outcomes are generally good.[4] The knuckle, however, typically remains somewhat deformed.[5]
- ^ a b c Raby, Nigel; Berman, Laurence; Morley, Simon; Lacey, Gerald de (2014). Accident and Emergency Radiology: A Survival Guide E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 163. ISBN 9780702050312. Archived from the original on 2017-10-12.
- ^ a b "Hand Fractures-OrthoInfo - AAOS". orthoinfo.aaos.org. October 2007. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Keenan, M (September 2013). "Managing boxer's fracture: a literature review". Emergency Nurse. 21 (5): 16, 18–24. doi:10.7748/en2013.09.21.5.16.e1198. PMID 24024723.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dunn, JC; Kusnezov, N; Orr, JD; Pallis, M; Mitchell, JS (1 May 2016). "The Boxer's Fracture: Splint Immobilization Is Not Necessary". Orthopedics. 39 (3): 188–92. doi:10.3928/01477447-20160315-05. PMID 27018606.
- ^ Gupta, Shivani; Diwan, Amna; Perone, Richard W.; Smith, R. Malcolm; Wenokor, Cornelia (2009). Musculoskeletal Trauma Simplified: A casebook to aid diagnosis & management. tfm Publishing Limited. p. 99. ISBN 9781908986504. Archived from the original on 2017-10-13.