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Review highlights incidence of commotio cordis in sports, emphasizing prevention strategies and education.
On January 2, 2023, Damar Hamlin collapsed after a routine tackle during a nationally televised football game and was diagnosed with commotio cordis. This rare but dangerous condition occurs when a blunt chest impact disrupts the heart’s rhythm, leading to cardiac arrest. Hamlin’s survival, thanks to immediate CPR and defibrillation, highlights the risks athletes face from chest trauma and the importance of timely response. This paper reviews current literature on commotio cordis, emphasizing its under-recognition in sports. It explores prevention strategies, including enhanced protective gear, sports rule changes, and preparticipation screening. The review also stresses the need for educating athletes and coaches on the risks and proper emergency response protocols with commotio cordis. With these measures, the incidence of commotio cordis in sports can be significantly reduced.
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Beisenova et al. (2025) studied this question.
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