In a study conducted with 123 young soldiers who had humerus shaft fractures in 2020, it was reported that arm wrestling was the cause of the fracture in 65 (52.8%) of the cases. I have personally heard of 4 humorous breaks in the last year. Always think about safety!

Unfortunately with any physical activity you do, there is a risk of injury. The same goes with arm wrestling. The most common and horrific injury I see is the spiral break of the humerus bone. Picture taking a classic Lollypop stick and grabbing both ends with your fingers, twist one end one way and then twist the other end the opposite way. That's essentially what's happening to the humorous bone in your arm as you arm wrestle. A spiral fracture occurs and to minimize this injury, you should train with experienced arm wrestlers and with certified referees that know and stop competitors when they get into a dangerous position.

A lot of inexperienced pullers tend to get into the “break arm” position as I described above, it's important to watch, learn and take it slow. I recommend finding a team close to you that will teach you the safe way to pull and ensure you always face your arm when arm wrestling. In a refereed match, the match will be stopped if you turn your head away from your arm and you do not face it when asked to. Always face your arm while pulling and do not look away from the arms.

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