Let’s Talk About Trauma in Sports Follow Up!
Jamal T. Jackson, LCSW
1/17/23
According to the U.S. National Registry of Sudden Death in Athletes from 1980-2011, there were 1,306 Sudden Cardiac Deaths (SCD) in young athletes (13-25 years of age) participating in organized sports. The U.S. National Registry of Sudden Death reported that the most common causes of SCD among young athletes are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (36%), coronary artery abnormalities (19%), myocarditis (7%), Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (5%), Coronary Artery Disease (4%), and Commotio Cordis (3%), which is what Damar Hamlin experienced. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Commotio Cordis is a condition in which an abnormal heart rhythm, ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest happen immediately upon an object striking the chest directly over the heart at a very critical time during a heartbeat. In knowing that Commotio Cordis occurs in 3% of young athletes, although Damar’s experience was extremely rare he was Blessed to have such a great medically responsive team! With that being said, I for one am glad that Damar Hamlin is on the road to recovery!!!
Now, let’s talk about trauma in sports! More specifically let’s talk about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in sports. We all know that sports are a form of entertainment. However, let us not forget that athlete participation can come at a price and unfortunately in the case of Damar Hamlin, trauma! Before diving into the topic of PTSD in sports I would like to preface that experiencing a traumatic event does not mean that an individual will experience PTSD.
PTSD, by clinical definition is exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Damar Hamlin going into cardiac arrest and needing to be revived would be considered a threat of death and serious injury. Signs and symptoms of PTSD that Damar, his football brothers on the Bills and Bengals organizations and others could experience include the following.
- Having unprompted and intrusive memories
- Flashbacks of event
- Nightmares
- Severe Anxiety
- Avoiding
- Stressful thoughts
- Feelings
- People and places related to the event
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Sports Social Worker my hope is that Damar, his brothers and any and everyone who feels that they need support reach out to a trusted person and or a mental health professional. Let us not become desensitized to life due to the glamorization of sport and continue to love one another as human beings first and foremost.
Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24572-commotio-cordis#:~:text=Commotio%20cordis%20is%20a%20condition,critical%20time%20during%20a%20heartbeat.
Heart disease and stroke statistics—2019 update: A … – circulation. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000659