Diaphragm spasm

[American in Paris]

AKA getting the wind knocked out of you...

Last night the biggest strongest guy on our team collided with me at speed, shoulder to gut. He was crouching trying to control a dancing puck just out of his reach and I was trying to poke it away. I guess he had to adjust his position for balance or something and moved at the last second. I didn't see it coming so all of my abdominal muscles were unprepared for the hit.

I immediately fell to the ice and laid on my back literally paralyzed. There was a strange involuntary moaning sound coming from my mouth. My diaphragm was involuntarily pulsating making it impossible to breathe. My teammates were all kneeling over me with horrified expressions on their faces. They asked if I was OK, but I couldn't respond. That went on for about 2 minutes. Finally it stopped and I was able to start breathing again.

Sat on the bench for about 5 minutes recovering then went back out on the ice for the rest of the game.

Most painful thing I've ever experienced on the ice.

 

[intangible]

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/chest-abdomen-pain/winded

Pretty scary stuff, especially if you're conscious while experiencing it.

Back in college a teammate of mine ran into an opposing forward and got knocked down HARD. When I got over there he was unconscious and going through what's called agonal breathing. At the time I was the only one out there with any training, and all I had was lifeguard training, which isn't particularly extensive. Immediately I told someone to call 911, and then was trying to figure out if I should stabilize his head, as he was laid sideways, but I didn't want to move him in case there was damage. Laid him down flat and stabilized his head, but didn't remove his helmet. As I was about to do chest compressions (my wife, a nurse, said I probably should've tried a sternal rub) in full goalie gear mind you, he came to, fortunately. Definitely out of it, and it was hard to get him to lay back down. Ambulance came, carted him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion but that was it, fortunately. Ended up coming back to the rink some hours later to watch another game. Scary stuff.

 

[damack]

I've had the wind knocked out of me before (not hockey) it was pretty much the scariest thing I can recall going through. Totally conscious, not able to breath, not knowing what was going on, on the edge of panicking. Trying to pull a breath in but feels like someone put a plastic bag over your face. It took a few seconds that felt like minutes before I was able to suck in a breath. Real scary experience.

 

[TieClark]

It's a lot better if you stay calm... I've had the wind knocked out of me several times growing up but it's a lot easier once you realize it's normal and just stay calm

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I had a similar experience a few years ago, I was 14.

Playing ball hockey, opposing forward goes on a 2 on 1. I back check as hard as I can and I try to poke check him from behind. Unfortunately, he stepped onto my blade, making it stand straight up like when you step onto a rake.

I impaled myself with my own stick in the stomach. Couldn't breathe for a minute. It left a nasty bruise too.
My friends said my face was all red and I made the choking sign to make them understand what was happening.

 

[mattkaminski15]

When I was 9 I was playing football and got takled by a "double striper" which meant they were young enough to play against me, but big, er, fat enough, to play the older guys. Anyway he takled me onto the ball and man did it suck laying there not able to breathe. Felt like minutes but it was barely 40 seconds.

 

[Crosbyfan]

It's a lot better if you stay calm... I've had the wind knocked out of me several times growing up but it's a lot easier once you realize it's normal and just stay calm

Same here. One trick I learned was that I could breath out, though barely, and upon relaxing a little air would return to the lungs.

 

[kr580]

Stay calm, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Seems to do the trick. Also, if you see someone with their wind knocked out go over and talk to them calmly and reassuringly. It's amazing what another person's soothing calmness can do for your own nerves in a situation like that where instinct is to panic.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

I feel like getting the wind knocked out of you is part of the ritual of growing up. lol

I've had it happen numerous times on and off the ice. It's pretty unpleasant in the middle of it, but I was never panicked or anything. Maybe I just got used to it?

 

[TieClark]

I feel like getting the wind knocked out of you is part of the ritual of growing up. lol

I've had it happen numerous times on and off the ice. It's pretty unpleasant in the middle of it, but I was never panicked or anything. Maybe I just got used to it?

You definitely get used to it