Hand Case 1 Background

The 5^th metacarpal neck fracture is the most common metacarpal fracture, in part because of its increased mobility compared to the other metacarpals.

Ironically, these fractures are rare in skilled fighters because pugilists are trained to punch in a straight line for greatest transmission of force, which would more likely result in 2nd metacarpal fracture. A "roundhouse" punch, however, is what is more likely to result in a "boxer's" fracture of the 4th or 5th metacarpal neck.