What happens if K.O. is hit?
We have certainly all experienced a K.O. hit at some point, but what exactly happens during a knock-out? Well, the first thing we need to know is that the brain in the skull is more or less floating in the so-called "cerebrospinal fluid" and due to a certain pressure in the head, it floats freely, so to speak, without touching the skull all around.
At K.O., the head is moved so violently and quickly that the "suspension" fails and the brain is pressed against the hard skull wall. This overstimulates an extremely large number of highly sensitive nerves, which ultimately leads to over-information for the brain, which automatically switches off as a protective function. When the punch shakes the sensory cells for vision in this way z.B., the boxer sees the famous stars. In addition, the blood vessels are compressed by the hard punch so that not enough oxygen reaches the brain. The fighter becomes dazed or loses consciousness.
Normally you regain consciousness all by yourself after such a process, but the whole thing is still dangerous as breathing and heartbeat can stop. If the brain is no longer supplied with sufficient oxygen, brain cells die after a short time and permanent damage occurs.
A well-trained body does not protect against a blow to the head because the head has no thick, protective and well-trained muscles. If you receive a heavy and violent blow, the K.O. is a direct result. However, a fighter can also K.O. if he is hit in sensitive areas of the body, such as the carotid artery, liver or solar plexus (a nerve plexus in the abdomen).
How should you help the person at K.O.?
Especially after a severe hit, it is important not to put the person on their feet straight away. If a concussion has occurred, this can be dangerous. If a doctor is not available, treat the person on the ground and check their breathing. Cooling in the form of a pre-cooled plastic bag placed directly on the head or neck or pouring a little water over the head is always a good idea.
What long-term damage is caused by a K.O.?
Every hit to the head, no matter how light, kills a huge number of nerve cells in the brain. Permanent damage can include disorientation, speech disorders or movement disorders.
How do I prevent a knockout?
Preventing a K.O. is certainly no easy matter. It requires a good defence, but luck also plays a role. Because a K.O. can z.B. be caused by blows to the head, liver or solar plexus. The solar plexus (Latin: solar plexus, also known as the celiac plexus) is a network of nerve fibres and is located at the transition from the rib cage to the pit of the stomach.
Each person reacts differently to the blows, some go down with the first blow and others can withstand much more. A remedy for sparring in training is z.B. good head protection that absorbs the blows and thus optimally protects you in the head area. The best way to protect your liver and solar plexus is with a good cover.
Note regarding the images:
The images used in this article were created using artificial intelligence (AI). The people depicted are entirely fictional and do not represent any real athletes.
Of course, we would prefer to show you real boxers and athletes. However, in practice, professional sports photos often involve very high licensing costs and can quickly cost several hundred Swiss francs per image. To continue offering our content free of charge, we sometimes resort to AI-generated illustrations.
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