risks of using a punch bag

[CagedWarrior]

Aside from this arthritis stuff, which isn't too big a risk I don't think... you're biggest risk is hitting it wrong. Now that will hurt your wrist. So don't do that.

[angus88]

I agree with Caged Warrior. If you punch or kick the bag correctly, you shouldn't get hurt from it.

At my school, people don't start even touching the bag until Gold belt and they don't start doing routines on it until Orange belt. By then you better be punching or kicking properly or you really will break your wrists, hands, toes or feet, etc. And then it's your own fault!

[GTF]

i heard that it's dangerous to use the cranes's beak attack on a punch bag, what do you know about this. a picture of the technique is shown below.

http://mk29.image.pbase.com/u44/foxchest/small/28618718.jpg

[orion82698]

Aside from this arthritis stuff, which isn't too big a risk I don't think... you're biggest risk is hitting it wrong. Now that will hurt your wrist. So don't do that.

I agree. This applies to any type of workout whether is be lifting, running, or a MA. The wrong technique can leave you in pain, or lack of accomplishment. Punching a bag correctly will leave your knucles a little sore, but what's are you doing? You're not punching air anymore. I believe if you correctly hit a target, injury shouldn't occur.

[Aodhan]

Arthritis is a hereditary disease. Anything you do won't give you arthritis. If you DO get arthritis, then it can make it worse, but it won't give you arthritis in and of itself.

Aodhan

Injury induced arthritis is a direct result of what you do to your joints. It is not hereditary. Improper technique, repetitive motion, and acute injury can all cause minute or large scale cartilidge damage which results in cartilidge loss and bone on bone contact.

Inflammatory arthirits (rhuematoid) can be hereditary and/or brought on by infection or other medical condition. The inflammation causes cartilidge death and deformity which results in bone on bone contact and/or deformed joints.

But is it actually arthritis? I was under the impression that the calcification/cartlilage breakdown, etc. were not in the arthritis classification. (Of course, most of my medical training comes from the emergency side of things rather than the long term side, so I could be misinformed.) Arthritis is a degenerative type thing, and while the injury caused inflammation could be termed degenerative, the doc that did our training differentiated between the two (Unfortunately it was long enough ago that I don't remember the lectures)

Aodhan