Are MMA people setting themselves up for hand problems?

MMA fighters generally wear light, 4-ounce gloves when they fight. Although they went commando in the past, these days they do tape their hands. But I get the impression that most MMA fighters -- especially the amateurs -- don't take hand protection all that seriously.

Hand protection is a long-term affair. It's not enough to say "my hands are fine" just because you didn't break a bone. Repetitive stress injuries creep up on you, but they can be as debilitating as an acute fracture and they can take longer to heal. They're insidious in that they may feel OK after a bit of rest, but when you start training again, they're back with a vengeance.

I would like to see the same focus on hand health in MMA gyms as you see in boxing gyms. For kids especially, it's the habits you form when you first start out that will save you a lot of unnecessary pain and dehabilitation when you're older.