From the Guidelines
For a boxing hand sprain, the most effective treatment is to rest the hand and limit its use, as this avoids worsening the injury, and apply cold therapy to decrease pain and swelling. According to the 2024 American Heart Association and American Red Cross guidelines for first aid 1, the mainstay of treatment for strains and sprains is rest and limiting the use of the injured extremity. Some key points to consider when treating a boxing hand sprain include:
- Cold application can acutely decrease pain and swelling in joint sprains and muscle strains, with the greatest tissue cooling achieved by using a bag filled with ice and water surrounded by a damp cloth 1
- Experts recommend limiting the duration of cold application to 20 to 30 minutes for 3 to 4 times daily to prevent cold injury 1
- It is essential to prevent direct contact between ice and skin to avoid cold injury 1
- While cold therapy can improve pain scores and edema, it has not been demonstrated to improve function or time to recovery 1 After the initial rest period, gentle range-of-motion exercises can help prevent stiffness, and gradual return to boxing activities can be considered when the hand can be moved without pain. If pain persists or worsens, medical attention should be sought to rule out more serious injuries like fractures or ligament tears.
From the Research
Boxing Hand Sprain
- A boxing hand sprain is not directly addressed in the provided studies, which focus on ankle sprains and general injury management.
- However, the principles of injury management discussed in the studies may be applicable to hand sprains, including:
- In terms of specific treatments, ibuprofen has been studied as a potential treatment for ankle sprains, but its effectiveness is unclear 5, 6
- The use of compression bandaging has also been studied, but its effectiveness in reducing swelling, pain, or tenderness is not significant 6