Boxing (activity, Apparel Or Equipment)
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Sports & Recreation Equipment · CPSC Code 1207
Up 10% over 5 years
The verdict
Boxing (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) carry a danger score of 39/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 17,632 ER-treated injuries a year that are rising by about 10% over the last five years.
- 39/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 17,632
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 1.1%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1207 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 39/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume17,632 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)1.1%
- Fatality rate0.02%
- 5-year trend+10%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Boxing (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) (CPSC product code 1207, in the Sports & Recreation Equipment category) generate an estimated 17,632 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 352,640 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 39/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are rising by about 10% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2024 (25,480 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (12,238 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) is fracture to the hand, accounting for approximately 45,800 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by contusions, abr. to the hand (37,411 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 170,971 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 1.1% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.02%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 6 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 971 | 422 | |
| 5-14 | 29,727 | 5,455 | |
| 15-24 | 151,909 | 19,062 | |
| 25-34 | 79,578 | 12,708 | |
| 35-44 | 29,626 | 4,841 | |
| 45-54 | 10,357 | 3,223 | |
| 55-64 | 2,511 | 746 | |
| 65-74 | 798 | 437 | |
| 75+ | 111 | 141 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Hand | Fracture | |
| Hand | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain | |
| Hand | Other | |
| Face | Fracture | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Shoulder | Dislocation | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Hand | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Wrist | Other | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
23 YOM WITH WRIST PAIN AFTER BOXING INJURY DX: PAIN
45YOM WITH RIGHT HAND PAIN AN SWELLING FOR 2 WEEKS. STATES HE IS A BOXER AND INJURED IT PUNCHING. DX: FRACTURE OF FIFTH METACARPAL BONE OF RIGHT HAND
38YOM C/O RIGHT WRIST PAIN. SINCE 3 MOS AGO AFTER USING A BOXING MACHINE. HE WAS BOXING WITH A FRIEND AGAINST A MACHINE AND HIT A HARD METAL PART. SINCE THAT TIME HE'S HAD PAIN. WORSE WITH MOVING. OCCURRED AT A BAR. DX: RIGHT WRIST PAIN
41YOM WALKED IN WITH CHIEF COMPLAINT OF LEFT HAND AND WRIST PAIN AFTER PUNCHING A HEAVY BAG. DX:SPRAIN OF LEFT WRIST; PAIN OF LEFT HAND.
26YOF, C/O RIGHT HAND/WRIST PAIN & BRUISING INJURED AT BOXING COURSE ON SATURDAY DX: RIGHT 5TH METACARPAL FRACTURE
56 YOF WITH LEFT SHOULDER PAIN. SHE HAS BEEN TAKING A BOXING CLASS DX ROTATOR CUFF TEAR
13 YOM. HEADACHE & FACIAL SWELLING AFTER BOXING/ SPARRING. DX: CLOSED FX OF NASAL BONE; CONCUSSION W/O LOC
47YOM WITH BACK PAIN THAT RADIATES DOWN TO ARM AFTER LIFTING A PUNCHING BAG DX: ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN
22YOM, YESTERDAY WAS BOXING WITH GLOVES ON PUNCHED IN THE FACE DEVELOPED EPISTAXIS AND NOW WITH HEADACHE SINCE THEN, DX: TRAUMATIC INJURY OF HEAD
27YOM PRESENTED WITH A JAW FX. THE PT SUSTAINED THE FX AT THE END OF NOVEMBER WHILE BOXING. HE WENT TO THE DENTIST WHO REFERRED HIT TO AN ORAL SERGION. HE NEVER SAW THE SERGION. DX: CLOSED FX OF RT MANDIBULAR ANHLE
8YOM, PUNCHED A PUNCHING BAG THAT WAS OUTSIDE, DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAD FROZEN AND DEVELOPED HAND PAIN, DX: CLOSED DISPLACED FRACTURE OF SHAFT OF FIFTH METACARPAL BONE OF RIGHT HAND
27YOM WAS PUNCHING A PUNCHING BAG WHEN HE STRUCK HIS RIGHT HAND REAL HARD NOW IT'S SWOLLEN DX: CONTUSION HAND
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
We got a toddler boxing set from Amazon and we had used it for years then today my son said there was something pokey in it so I grabbed it and was pushing on where my son showed me and at first I thought it was a tooth pick or some small. So I took my pliers and poked it through the bag and pulled out about a 5 inch piece of a saw blade.
on 5/20/2015 i brought a everlast cardio strike bag from kmart i use for a month and today on 6/28/2015 i used it and it snapped rightin half almost caused a injury in the middle of my work out as the middle in flew upthe bag was hit lightly and for what ever reason it broke on me im requesting a replacement for a simalr safer product as this one needs a recall because it is unsafe a person should not be able to break a metal object like this
I injured myself with the Everlast inflatable cardio strike bag. The first time I punched this bag, I felt my hand hit the steel bar inside the bag, and I thought I broke a knuckle. I actually went to get X-rays because my hand was so painful and swollen. Please keep in mind the bag was fully inflated, I am a woman, and I was wearing boxing gloves. This bag should be recalled, or there should at least be warnings posted on the box. I read numerous other reviews on amazon.com by people who felt the steel bar when punching the bag. When I contacted the company, they claimed that the bag must not have been fully inflated. However, they are incorrect, because I injured myself immediately after inflating the bag to its full capacity.
Summary of Incident: On or about the date of 10/18/2024,while training with my brand-new Everlast Elite 2 gloves, I sustained a fractured left wrist due to a mismatched and defective glove included in the box. The issues with the gloves included: Mismatched gloves (A red glove was included in a black-and-gold set). Extremely loose wrist straps, even when fully secured. Poor padding, providing inadequate hand protection. I followed all proper precautions, including proper hand wrapping, and raised concerns about the gloves fit to my coach before the injury occurred. The injury happened when I threw a left-right jab followed by a left hook, at which point I immediately felt my wrist pop. Damages and Compensation Sought As a result of Everlasts negligence, I have suffered: Medical expenses (MRI, doctor visits, and physical therapy). Loss of income (I was newly employed as an assistant boxing coach, with earning potential between $500$2,000/month). Pain and suffering, including emotional distress and disruption of my training and daily activities. I am seeking a reasonable compensatory settlement between $15,000$25,000 to cover my medical expenses, lost wages, and damages.
A student kicked a heavy bag and was scratched by a foreign object inside the bag. A punching heavy bag was used during a Muay Thai in a gym facility.
I just bought an Everlast 100 lb powershot heavy bag for Christmas. I installed it onto my ceiling with the supplied hardware it came with. I just realized that one of the spring clips used to hang it was failing and bending open. obviously a very dangerous situation when a 100 lb bag hanging from the ceiling can fall down at any time. This is the original hardware which came with the bag and is failing after only two days! I have taken down the bag and waiting for a response from everlast.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are boxing (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) have a danger score of 39/100 (low risk). An estimated 17,632 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from boxing (activity, apparel or equipment)?
The most common injury is fracture to the hand, accounting for approximately 45,800 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) increasing or decreasing?
Up 10% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for boxing (activity, apparel or equipment) injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 170,971 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by boxing (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Of all ER visits involving boxing (activity, apparel or equipment), approximately 1.1% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (98.9%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with boxing (activity, apparel or equipment)?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Sports & Recreation Equipment
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 39/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 15-24 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
