An arm is a big muscle, and punching an arm, can cause pain to the person being punched. Your aim in punching an arm is to hit the muscles and connective tissues that make up the arm. You want to avoid hitting bones or blood vessels because these are the places where the person’s injuries could occur.
Arm punches are most commonly used in self-defense situations where people are protecting themselves from attack. It should not be used to attack someone.
Injury can occur when a blow to the arm causes the shoulder to move out of position. The shoulder joint is made up of three bones, the clavicle (collarbone), acromion process (bony prominence on the top of the shoulder blade), and scapula (shoulder blade). When you punch with the correct force and angle, the shoulder joint can be injured, causing pain, numbness, and tingling sensations. This can happen if the punch hits the upper arm bone, the collarbone, or the shoulder blade.
If you are punching to defend yourself, then make sure you target the correct part of the arm. For example, if you are punching a person who is charging you, you can use your elbow to block the attacker’s punches. If the attacker uses the palm of their hand to hit you, you can redirect the blow with a straight punch. A straight punch will connect with the area where the palm of the attacker’s hand connects with the back of the upper arm.
The following are signs that your punch was not targeted properly:
• Pain in the shoulder or arm.
• The person has difficulty moving their shoulder or arm.
• The person has decreased range of motion in their shoulder.
• The person is unable to lift their arm over their head or perform other simple tasks.
• The person has pain and swelling in the shoulder or elbow area.
• The person has swelling, bruising, or redness around the area.
• You can find the nerves in the arm on the inside of the forearm, at the wrist, and near the elbow. If you punch the person too hard, you could injure these nerves and cause them to feel numb and tingly.
If you were trying to defend yourself and your punch landed on the wrong part of the body, you may have caused the injury. If you did, you should seek medical treatment. In addition, if you are concerned about your safety, you can contact the police to come to your aid.
