24. Do not punch a wall or a window

The wall or window does not care about your feelings or lack of judgment. In fact, no inanimate object cares much at all about your problems or joys. That sweet destructive impulse will quickly turn inward as your hand reminds you of the pain and loss of use that was so soon established. These types of injuries are so common they have a generic name–Boxer’s fracture–a broken little finger knuckle. Mostly these injuries heal well with minimal medical assistance.

It gets exciting, though, when you punch through a window. Usually, the punch away from the body and through the glass doesn’t do too much harm; it’s the withdrawal where the medical interest grows. The tendons, nerves and arteries on the palm side of the hand may be lacerated as the fist is hastily withdrawn through the now-jagged broken glass. It is a hassle to have a tendon torn, it is a hassle to have an artery torn, and again a hassle still to have a nerve cut. All of these injuries are associated with delayed and sometimes poor outcomes. A well-working hand is an asset not to be wasted.