: Recognition and Treatment introduction Most spectators across the country witnessed a haunting scene on Sunday, January 1 that will be remembered for a very long time.
: Recognition and Treatment introduction Most spectators across the country witnessed a haunting scene on Sunday, January 1 that will be remembered for a very long time. Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, tackled Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter. It did not seem like an overly aggressive collision when compared to other collisions that occur in the NFL.
However, he stood up for a few seconds and then collapsed to the ground. Many sports providers across the country including ATCs and physicians have commented on their experiences and shared their opinions on what exactly happened. This post is not going to speculate on the root cause of the collapse of Damar Hamlin and we will leave that to the treating physicians and medical team.
However, as this happened, it was clear that he did have a traumatic blow to the chest. It did not seem like a cervical spine injury from the way the play happened. I was personally at the Paul Brown stadium when the unfortunate events of Ryan Shazier occurred and this event felt much different.
As my own personal thoughts occurred on January 1, it did seem a cardiac event was possible and would be included in any differential diagnosis. The differential can be fairly large but would include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital or undiagnosed heart anomalies, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, commotio cordis and Wolf-Parkinson White Syndrome. There have been multiple events of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) that have occurred with varying outcomes.
One of the first documented football injuries occurred in 1971. A Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes collapsed while jogging back to the huddle and never regained consciousness. He was not struck in the chest or head area immediately before this occurred.
If you are experiencing symptoms that may be related to commotio cordis in athletes, it is important to see a sports medicine physician. Early evaluation and treatment typically lead to better outcomes. Do not ignore pain or symptoms that are limiting your activity.
*This article is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.*
Connect with a doctor, physical therapist, or imaging center near you.
Find a Provider Near You โ