Boxing Injuries Scientific Article
Boxing Injuries Scientific Article
Boxing Injuries Scientific Article
6: 167--178 ( 1 9 9 6 )
ABSTRACT Two complete skeletons from the Hamman-Todd collection of the Cleveland Museum of Natural
History (CMNH) show a suite of pathological lesions that suggest the individuals had been involved
in boxing or other hand-to-hand combat.These lesions were studied and compared with medical and
autopsy records.The aims of the research were to estimate the accumulated damage to the bones
over time, to characterize the different types of the damage, and to establish criteria for hand-to-
hand combat or violence for archaeological material. Our inspections showed that besides the
muscle markings developed and the numerous healed fractures that are expected when someone
is involved in such activities, other types of lesion are present that are helpful for a proper differential
diagnosis.These are: degenerative changes at the lesser tuberosity of the humerus; focal necrotic
changeslbone growth on the trochlea of the humerus; necrotic changes on the distal head of the
ulna; bony patches on upper limb bones only; secondary centres of ossification failing to fuse
(mainly in vertebrae and acromion); a huge conoid tubercle on the clavicle; bony spurs on the distal
articular head of the metacarpals; necrotic changes on the femoral head next to the fovea and on the
roofoftheacetabulum; andadeveloped bonyridgefor theattachmentofthe iliotrochanteric ligament.
Finally, we propose a set of criteria that will help to identify people in archaeological material who
were involved in hand-to-hand combat.
us, barely nothing. Why? Because the history and of Natural History. Both skeletons were from
the cause of the disease or trauma in each black males, one aged 45 years (HTH 2372) and
individual will be different. the other 42 years (HTH 2961) at the time of
Unless we correlate the disease with other death.
parameters, such as sex, age, ethnic origin, Detailed morphological observations were
geographic location, socio-economic class, made on both skeletons. Because these
culture, and especially other diseases or changes observations largely duplicate one another, we
in the bones, the picture will remain incomplete, present data for skeleton HTH 2372 and refer
and in many cases be distorted. to the other skeleton only when presenting
Of all sports, the one most likely to cause additional information.
severe damage to the skeleton is boxing (the term
boxing is here used in its general sense, implying
all types of hand-to-hand combat). As Freidrich Results
Unterharnscheidt noted, 'Boxing is different from
all other athletic endeavors in that the nature of Tbe skull
the sport causes injury by intention rather than by
accident'. 1 Both the zygomatic arches show displaced healed
Most of the literature dealing with bodily fractures (Figures 1 and 2). They were
damage due to sports activity associated with compressed medially and as a consequence no
boxing focuses on craniocerebral trauma. Reports longer flare outward (Figure 3). The right
of bony damage are surprisingly few, and zygomatic arch was fractured in two places:
generally contain only findings (based mainly near the zygomaticotemporal suture, and close to
on X-rays) on specific parts of the body, e.g. the root of the zygomatic process, just before it
multiple fractures in the mandible,2 trauma to widens posteriorly as it approaches the squamous
nasal bones,3 a fracture of the hyoid bone,4 a part of the temporal bone (Figure 1). The arch on
fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone5 and fracture the left was also fractured in two places, close to
of the trapezium.6 The accumulated damage to the root (as on the right) and also at its most
the skeleton over time due to prolonged boxing outward protruding part (Figure 2). The anterior
activity has never been reported. O n the other half of the arch, from the zygomaticotemporal
hand, the medical literature on injuries, due to suture to mid-arch (where the more anterior
deliberate violence, is plentiful,7-"J Nevertheless, fracture is located) is displaced medially,
it suffers from the weakness that it tells us almost presenting an angular profile in superior view.
nothing about the individual. Medical statistics The nasal bones are fractured in several places,
based mainly on a non-random sample of specific and the entire nasal region is twisted to the right
injuries are of no help when analysing the life (Figure 2). O n e fracture runs horizontally,
history of an individual or measuring violent dividing each nasal bone into two segments.
activity in an historic population. The other runs vertically, just medial to the
T h e aim of the present study is to describe nasomaxillary suture (Figure 2). A third fracture is
what repetitive damage to the skeleton, due to seen on the maxilla, along the upper lateral
hand-to-hand combat, may look like, and to border of the nasal aperture.
establish reliable criteria for identifying boxing- The right zygomatic bone was fractured in two
like activities (versus injuries due to violence) in places: posteriorly, along the sphenozygomatic
archaeological material. suture, and anteriorly, running vertically between
orbitale and the zygomaticomaxillary tubercle.
The latter fracture cuts across the
Materials and methods zygomaticomaxillary suture. N o major damage
was observed on the calvaria, except for small
Two skeletons of individuals who had engaged bony patches inferior to the temporal line.
regularly in boxing are located in the Hamann- Inspection of the internal part of the skull
Todd collection, housed at the Cleveland Museum revealed no obvious damage.
Bone Injuv in Boxing 169
Figure 4. Lesions on the lesser tuberosities of the right and left humeri.
Bone Injury in Boxing 171
Thoracic cage
Figure 13. Pits (arrows) in metatarsal bones caused by gout (A) and spondyloathropathy (5).
deep lumbar lordosis, which caused the spinous to the fovea, and on the roof of the
processes to press against each other. Similar acetabulum;
facets are present in the first boxer too, but to a (xii) a strong attachment of the iliotrochanteric
lesser extent. The fifth lumbar vertebra was fused ligament to the femur.
with the sacrum.
Many of these criteria, such as fractured digits,
ribs, and facial bones, would obviously be
Hyoid bone expected in the skeletons of people who had
engaged in hand-to-hand combat or were prone
The second boxer had a healed fracture of the to some violent activity. Strong muscle markings
hyoid bone on the left side (Figure 17). were intentionally not included in the list of
criteria because they can be produced by many
types of strenuous work. However, ligament
Discussion and conclusions attachment areas can be helpful in a differential
diagnosis. These are influenced directly by the
Th e question of how far we can go in our forces applied to the joints. In the case of the
interpretation of osteological changes observed in boxers, we noticed two areas of ligament
ancient skeletons is a crucial issue in attachment that are unusually well developed:
anthropology." It is well known that different the conoid tubercle on the clavicle and the
occupations may produce similar bony changes. iliotrochanteric crest on the femur. The conoid
However, as demonstrated here, when we look at and the iliotrochanteric ligaments help ensure
the whole skeleton, rather than at selected parts, stability of shoulder girdle and hip, respectively.
it may be possible t o make a differential diagnosis Other criteria listed above may need further
and to tell something significant about the explanation. The damage to the lesser tuberosity
individuals' life. Isolated criteria, for both disease of the humerus (in contrast to the greater
or occupation, are misleading. Instead, a whole tuberosity) probably resulted from repeated,
set of criteria should be used t o reach a forceful medial rotation of the humerus during
comprehensive conclusion. punching while training and boxing. The focal
Below is a list of bony lesions that, in tandem, necrotic area on the humeral trochlea and the
may indicate regular involvement in boxing or bony spurs on the metacarpal heads probably
hand-to-hand combat: developed from repetitive strike impact. The
bony patches on the upper limb bones are
degenerative changes on the lesser probably due to their defensive role while
tuberosity of the humerus; boxing, i.e. blocking the opponents' blows.
(ii) focal necrotic changeshone growth on the Necrotic changes on the femoral head could
trochlea of the humerus; result from the boxers' tendency to 'dance' or
(iii) necrotic changes on the distal head of the bounce in one place on both feet while boxing
ulna; and training. In those whose training began
a large number of broken ribs, both sides, before adulthood, extreme tension in muscles
usually in different places. and ligaments may prevent fusion between
multiple fractures of fingers and toes; secondary and primary centres of ossification by
fractures of the zygomatic arch and nasal pulling the secondary centre away from the
bones; primary, as in the case of the deltoid muscle on
(vii) bony patches on upper limb bones; the acromion. Evidence of gout was clearly noted
(viii) failure of secondary centres of ossification in one of the boxers studied. Although it is
t o fuse (mainly in vertebrae and acromion); certainly not conclusively related to boxing
a huge conoid tubercle on the clavicle; activity, the disease may be correlated indirectly
bony spurs on the distal articular head of with body-building sports like boxing. This is
the metacarpals; because many body-builders consume large
necrotic changes on the femoral head, next quantities of red meat in order to develop their
178 I. Hershkouitz et al.