Why did I stop breathing for 10 seconds after falling 10 feet onto my back?

  • Topic: Medical 
  • Thread starter Thread starter rapidstart
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Fall
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
2 replies · 9K views
rapidstart
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Some years ago i fell from a height to the ground (around 10 feet), right on my back and stopped breathing for some 10 seconds. A sudden complete cut off. I am curious what stopped the air. Either the windpipe was squashed by the ribcage, or was temporary stifled from the very impact without having been squashed by anything, or lungs temporarily collapsed or deflated (not sure whether these are the right words to describe it) and blocked the air from filling up? That was a sudden complete cut off.
 
Biology news on Phys.org

Discussion

Yep. You got the wind knocked out of you.

Had it happen to me several times.

Spasm of the diaphragm sounds about right.