why hold a lighter tho?

To keep your hand from breaking in on itself when you hit something hard and solid. The object acts like a buffer on the inside, and it also dabbles as a reinforcer to make the hit harder as well. Two for one lol, and man is it affective.

did some google and apparently it's to add more force and help align the bones but it can also make it easier to break said bones

That it does. Like I said affective tool/trick. And judging by them last few panels....I think it served its attended use lol