Get insights on chest injuries & emergencies from ER physician Dr. Dacia Ticas. Learn about red flags and vital info for athletic trainers.

A: I liked everything and wasn’t sure what to commit to. Emergency medicine allowed me to experience a bit of everything, including a wide range of chest injuries.

A: Pulseless children are concerning. Severe cases with children, such as swelling or edema of the airway where a cricothyrotomy might be necessary, are also very serious.

A: Being out of shape typically presents as shortness of breath without actual struggle or severe chest pain. Red flags for chest injuries include pale or cyanotic appearance, complaints of severe chest pain, and a visible struggle to breathe.

A: A physician would be required. While we wish it were seen more often, on-field ultrasound has tremendous value in clarifying life-threatening chest injuries.

A: We will conduct our routine workup regardless. Key information includes what actually happened—e.g., getting hit in the throat versus the chest—whether they collapsed or lost consciousness, and how the patient initially presented and communicated their complaints.

A: Cardiac and pulmonary contusions can take time to develop. Life-threatening issues are typically identified through labs on the day of the incident.

A: Commotio cordis involves the ventricles going out of whack due to a flux of ions being disrupted, which is a chemical issue. This happens in a fraction of a second, as highlighted by the Damar Hamlin incident, which brought athletic training to the forefront for chest injuries.

A: Often, if you ask an athlete if they can return to play a few plays later, they might indicate they cannot or develop a specific spot of noticeable pain. Lingering pain for a few plays, rather than generalized pain, may be a sign for removal due to a bigger issue, particularly with chest injuries.

A: There are many stories. Early in my career, seeing a 4×4 through a chest wall, yet the internal organs were intact, was shocking. As I progressed, medical mysteries became more enticing. DJ Harden’s aortic injury after a chest hit, and assessing patient consciousness and bilateral pulse equality, are all crucial in emergency medicine for chest injuries.

Jeremy Jackson

Benjamin Stephenson

Layci Harrison

Mark Knoblauch

Ashlyne Elliott

Leslie Bennett

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

Xothrm – Best heating pad available – Use “SMB” or email [email protected] and mention the Sports Medicine Broadcast.

Donate and get some swag (like Patreon but for the school)

HOIST – No matter your reason for dehydration, DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some money, be entered in a drawing for a second year free, and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

Athletic Dry Needling – Save up to $100 when registering through our link.