MMA fighters are no strangers to breaking bones. From tiny bones in their hands to nasal fractures, UFC fighters often suffer bone fractures during fights inside the octagon. As athletes wear minimal protective equipment, their bones can withstand a lot of stress, which can cause them to break. Common areas of bone fractures include the arms, elbows, hands, and shin, as well as facial fractures such as the orbital bone and nose.
Treatment for bone fractures varies depending on the type of bone damage. Some fractures in the legs and arms can be placed in a cast to heal and reposition them. However, more serious fractures may require surgery to place nails, screws, or rods. The fourth and fifth bones in the back of the hand (metacarpals) are the two thinnest of the five bones and are particularly susceptible to breaking (fractured).
MMA fighters usually keep their fingers extended to keep their opponent further away from them or to maximize surface area by protecting their head. It's a requirement for fighters to wear a mouthguard at all levels of combat, since blows to the jaw cause damage to the brain. Knee injuries are also very common in MMA due to the multiple positions the knee must be in when athletes fight. Fingers can cause several other problems in MMA, especially their ability to inflict damage to an opponent's eye at the end of a fight.
Modifications to gloves to protect the hand would require increased padding (boxing-style). Most wrestlers or students of martial arts sports are likely to lose some teeth when they don't wear a mouth guard. Even though MMA fighters usually get punched directly in the face, they don't lose teeth very often.
