Hand and wrist wraps are equipment used in boxing and martial arts. There are many bones in the human hand and striking surfaces can cause serious, possibly permanent, injuries, including broken bones. Such fractures are so common that a fracture of the fifth metacarpal is commonly called a "boxer's fracture," although other parts of the hand, wrist and nerves may also be damaged. Hand and wrist wraps are used to secure the bones in the hand, allowing boxers to throw punches with more force than if they did not utilize them. This can make the boxer's hands have extra weight, but it also allows them to feel less pain when punching. Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo Domínguez (left) versus Rafael Ortíz Boxing, also called pugilism, prizefighting (when referring to professional boxing) or the sweet science (a common nickname among fans), is a sport and martial art in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Grays Anatomy illustration of a human femur. ... Human right hand The hands (med. ... A bone fracture is a medical condition in which a bone becomes cracked, splintered, or bisected as a result of physical trauma. ... The metacarpus is the intermediate part of the hand skeleton that is located between the fingers distally and the carpus which forms the connection to the forearm. ... A boxers fracture is the common name for a fracture at the neck of the fifth metacarpal bone. ... In the physical sciences, weight is a measurement of the gravitational force acting on an object. ... Look up Pain in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Conventional handwraps are non-elastic. Mexican-style handwraps are slightly elasticized and are popular with many boxers. A new alternative to handwraps consist of fingerless gel-lined gloves worn inside standard boxing gloves; these can be used for bag work, but not for sparring or competition.

See also

• Hand guard