On January 02, 2023, a tragic and heartbreaking incident occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio. A professional football player named Damar Hamlin was rushed to the hospital after going into cardiac arrest during a football game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. The medical personnel and the EMS rushed the field Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit. His heartbeat was restored on the field using an AED and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition. As per the tweet form the Buffalo Bills
This unfortunate incident emphasizes the importance of pre-participation sports physicals and having proper equipment and AED with proper training at each and every sports match. Although I’m sure Damar Hamlin had undergone multiple physicals and evaluations as a professional football player. He could have suffered multiple issues which are still being investigated. Some issues such as commotio cordis or other life threatening events
A participation sports physical with a trained sports medicine physician for all athletes, as such an exam could detect many underlying medical issues that could lead to a cardiac arrest.
The purpose of a pre-participation sports physical is to evaluate an athlete’s overall health and gauge the individual’s risk for injury or medical conditions that could increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. This type of assessment is one of the most important components of an athlete’s health and well-being and should never be overlooked. The exam includes gathering a detailed medical history, evaluating the vitals and performing a proper sports medical clearance physical exam. I also believe that as ECG should be considered I find many times younger players are overlooked and undergo physicals by their pediatrician or urgent care although these medical professionals may have experience but not all undergo the vigorous training and education that a real sports medicine physician undergo. Think twice on who performs your child’s or teams physicals
My prayers are with Damar Hamlin and his family and wish him a prompt and full recovery.
I as a sports medicine physician am available for full evaluations, sports physicals and small or mass participation events.
Katzmedicalgroup.com
732-762-5005 in Manalapan NJ
Or
NY Arthritis and Sports Medicine clinic in Brooklyn NY
718-375-2300
