Pugilistic attitude of a burned body

Nassau County, New York. This photo depicts the position the body assumes as a result of intense heat and fire. The burned body assumes pugilistic attitude and what sometimes appears to be a boxer’s stance. This is a postmortem artifact resulting from the effects of heat on the muscle protein: denaturation and dehydration. The flexors are bulkier than the extensors, and hence, the overall effect is one of contractures, with flexion at the elbows, wrists and knees. Often the joint spaces are exposed and the articulating surfaces of the bones are charred.