Getting the wind knocked out of you is not a fun thing to experience. However, it's a common occurrence to anyone who's ever swung a leg over a dirt bike. In this week's featured article, we'll take a closer look at what exactly happens when you get the wind knocked out of you and why.
Real Life
Picture this: it's a beautiful summer day and you and the crew have just pulled up to your local track to catch a little ride time. You unload the bikes, gear up with your top-of-the-line protection, hydrate yourself with some water and kick start your dirtbike and you're off and running. Even though you just began riding six months ago, you spend your days waiting until the next time you can hit the track. You've caught on fairly fast; yet cautiously ride with safety and poise. You get off to great starts, handle the whoops with grace and ease right over the table tops. However, you're still a little shaky when it comes to that double right in the middle of the track. But you've been watching your buddies, taking mental notes and working up the courage to finally attempt it.
As your ride session is winding down, your goal is to jump that double before heading home for the day. After a few more times around the track, you're finally ready. Alright, here you go! BAM!! You've overestimated the jump and your chest immediately hits your handlebars. (But good thing you were wearing that chest protector!) You immediately fall to the ground, trying to catch your breath. After a few minutes, things are fine, but realize you've knocked the wind out of yourself.
Let's Get Technical
Medically speaking, what's really happening here is called a diaphragm spasm. It occurs when sudden force is applied to the abdomen, which then puts pressure on the solar plexus. The solar plexus, which is sometimes referred to as the pit of the stomach, is a cluster of nerve cells and supporting tissue that is located behind the stomach in the region of the celiac artery, just below the diaphragm. The solar plexus is the largest autonomic nerve center in the abdominal cavity and is supported by many branches. Those branches control many functions such as hormone secretion and intestinal contraction.
When this pressure is forced onto the solar plexus, the diaphragm temporarily "shuts down" and makes it difficult to breathe for a short period of time. While this commonly occurs from a direct blow to the chest, it can also be caused by a strong blow to the back.
Although sometimes painful, you're more than likely to feel a sensation of discomfort, rather than any significant pains. The reason you're feeling the discomfort is because when your chest area is struck, a large pressure variance occurs all across the diaphragm. It then stretches the diaphragm's nerves, which then forces it into a muscle spasm (this sensation is comparable to having a charley horse in your leg).
A violent and forceful blow to a relaxed abdomen can produce a feeling of extreme internal pressure as the contents of the abdominal cavity are suddenly displaced across the diaphragm muscle and into the thoracic cavity.
Mindset is the Key
A person's mindset is crucial as to whether or not they are temporarily side lined from riding. While having the wind knocked out of you is sometimes painful in nature, it is considered a psychological injury rather than a physiological one. Most people are quite capable of performing willful activity during the period in which they've lost their breathe.
Recovery
It will take a few moments for the diaphragm to fully relax and for your breathing cycle to resume normally. What you choose to do, whether it is lie down, stand with your hands on your knees or walk around is completely up to you; however, here are a few pointers to follow that will help you during the recovery process.
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Don't panic. If you panic, you'll have a harder time trying to recover from the hard blow you've just taken.
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Relax mentally. In reality, the pain you're experiencing isn't that bad. However, if you imagine it to be any worse than it actually is, more than likely it will be!
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Breathe. This is by far the most important thing to keep in mind. While you may be a little disoriented, remember to take big, deep, complete breaths, in and out through your mouth.
It's all about the Mental Strength
While there are limited preventative measures you can take to avoid this, if it does occur, it's important to maintain your mental toughness. While pain is inevitable when you get the wind knocked out of you, remember that it should be more of an uncomfortable pain and if you believe you'll get over it soon, you'll be back on the track in no time at all.
"EVS Winning with Safety"
