Attacking the Solar Plexus

[Drifter]

This isn't a question on any technique in particular, I was just wondering what the medical effect of hitting someone in the solar plexus is. I know it hurts quite a bit, but I'm wondering why? Perhaps Doc could chime in. Thanks in advance!

 

[parkerkarate]

I heard that the impact can break a persons ribs. I am not totally sure yet. But that is a good question.

 

[Jaymeister]

the solar plexus is a group of nerves, that controls breathing among other things. So when you get hit there, you can't breathe properly.

 

[bdparsons]

Striking the solar plexus can have a varied effect, but basically the most common effect of a well placed solar plexus strike is a muscle spasm of the diaphragm. This causes the reaction of the person not being able to "catch their breath" or breath deeply. Other residual effects include items such as damage to the ribs at the base of the sternum; possible heart bruising (depending on the angle of the strike); diaphragmal tears or rips, etc.

Respects,
Bill Parsons
Triangle Kenpo Institute

 

[Bammx2]

Generally...when you hit the solar plexus,you can cause the diaphramg to spasm,for lack of a better term,and it knocks the wind out of you and usually hurts a bit in the process.

 

[Bammx2]

Striking the solar plexus can have a varied effect, but basically the most common effect of a well placed solar plexus strike is a muscle spasm of the diaphragm. This causes the reaction of the person not being able to "catch their breath" or breath deeply. Other residual effects include items such as damage to the ribs at the base of the sternum; possible heart bruising (depending on the angle of the strike); diaphragmal tears or rips, etc.

Respects,
Bill Parsons
Triangle Kenpo Institute

yea! what he said.

man..I gotta type faster!

 

[bignick]

From Deadly Karate Blows: The Medical Implications, which uses a back kick as an example strike to the solar plexus

...different angles of the kick will produce varied results. If the kick is directed toward the right side of the opponents' body, the liver and gallbladder will be damaged. If it is in the center of the solar plexus, the duodenum and pancreas will be thrust against the front of the lumbar spine. The abdominal aorta (huge vein) follows the lumbar spine vertically and is very snug against the front side of the vertebra. If the heel kick was strong enough to injure the vein, shock (extreme loss of blood) and death would follow almost immediately. The stomach (and some reports claim that the spleen) will be involved when the blow is to the left side of the solar plexus. The level, angle and strength of the kick will determine how many of these organs will be damaged.

These are basically the worst case scenarios, I would say the most common result would be a stunned effect caused by having the "wind" knocked out of you. Just like others have said, which is caused by spasms in the diaphragm.

 

[Doc]

This isn't a question on any technique in particular, I was just wondering what the medical effect of hitting someone in the solar plexus is. I know it hurts quite a bit, but I'm wondering why? Perhaps Doc could chime in. Thanks in advance!

First of all, so that no one misunderstands, I am not a medical doctor, (although I did stay at a Holiday Inn before) KenpoDoc or Dr. Crouch perhaps would be better if you want clear medical implications. My academic and physical expertise is in the physics of human anatomy, and the implications of human movement in physical interaction.

So from this perspective, most people (short of an auto accident) are usually actually NOT struck in the "solar plexus," which is located behind the stomach below the diaphram. It is a significant part of the nervous system in the region and actual impact could affect autonomic nerve function greatly affecting breathing, intestinal contractions, etc. and generates great pain.

Most are more likely struck in the "sternum (breastbone), or rib-cage. The upper portion of the sternum is attached to the clavicles and is also connected to the first 7 ribs. Most are familiar with the lower portion of the sternum called the zyphoid process. (That little bone where they teach you NOT to push when giving CPR because it will break). The obvious implication here are fractures, which include the ribs. However short of significant deceleration impact injuries, the sternum tends to stay intact with fracture of the ribs more common, and its associated implications and punctures of proximal organs.

Of greater interest to me, and has more implications in Kenpo is the condition known as "Commotio Cordis." Commotio cordis is a sudden death induced by minor chest wall impact, without cardiac abnormalities.

The general medical thought is the impact through misfortune occurs within a specific timing of the heart cycle that disrupts the heart muscles inducing fibrillation. My own research suggests that negative body posture and an impact in the vicinity of K-22 is at the least a contributing factor in ventricular fibillation. Therefore, techniques that promote kicks to the upper torso with the body in a particular induced "bent forward" posture, in my opinion have the potential of siginificant injury or death even within the "light" contact associated with in-house technique execution.

Despite significant impact sports like football and hockey, and even soccor, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recorded 88 deaths in baseball from 1973 to 1995, more than any other sport. Sixty-eight deaths were caused by ball impact, and the majority were ball impacts to the chest area while batting.

 

[Drifter]

First of all, so that no one misunderstands, I am not a medical doctor, (although I did stay at a Holiday Inn before).

Whoops, my misunderstanding! Your knowledge and understanding of the body led me to think otherwise.

Thank you all for your input! I doubt I could hit hard enough to kill (short of the Commotio Cordis Doc mentioned), but I'm glad to know the implications, as far as a legal sense is concerned.

As a semi-related follow-up, would the same muscles be affected when falling on ice (for example) and landing on your back?

 

[Ceicei]

Whoops, my misunderstanding! Your knowledge and understanding of the body led me to think otherwise.

I think you may thinking of another user, Kembudo-Kai Kempoka. He is otherwise known as Dr. Dave.... I think he is a medical doctor. I may be wrong though.

- Ceicei

 

[Ceicei]

Despite significant impact sports like football and hockey, and even soccor, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recorded 88 deaths in baseball from 1973 to 1995, more than any other sport. Sixty-eight deaths were caused by ball impact, and the majority were ball impacts to the chest area while batting.

I wonder if it might be an issue of point of impact/area coverage? With football and soccer, the impact tends to be more spread out (and with football, covered with padding). With a baseball throw and with karate strikes, the impact would be much more concentrated and thus may cause more damage. At least that idea makes sense to me.

- Ceicei

 

[Bode]

I think you may thinking of another user, Kembudo-Kai Kempoka. He is otherwise known as Dr. Dave.... I think he is a medical doctor

Dr. Dave is a Doctor of Chiropractics. I'm sure he will clarify.
KenpoDoc is a doctor of medicine I believe. Which speciality I don't know.

I wonder if it might be an issue of point of impact/area coverage?

There is not a doubt. Take a pen and place it on your skin, tip down. Put a 2.5 pound weight on the top. Ouch! Reverse the pen so the flat end is on your skin. Doesn't hurt.
Architectural designs deal with point loads and weight distribution. Armor piercing bullets are contain a pointed tip of hardened steel (or other extremely hard material).
Science and physics. Seems to creep into the martial "arts" whether we like it or not. Just a thought.

 

[Doc]

Dr. Dave is a Doctor of Chiropractics. I'm sure he will clarify.
KenpoDoc is a doctor of medicine I believe. Which speciality I don't know.

Dr. Dave - D.C.
KenpoDoc - M.D.
Doc - Ph.D.

Science and physics. Seems to creep into the martial "arts" whether we like it or not. Just a thought.

You mean REAL science and physics and not concepts.

 

[KenpoDave]

Despite significant impact sports like football and hockey, and even soccor, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recorded 88 deaths in baseball from 1973 to 1995, more than any other sport. Sixty-eight deaths were caused by ball impact, and the majority were ball impacts to the chest area while batting.

I had also read that more injuries were caused by the "soft" rubberized balls used in the younger leagues because of the balls tendency to compress and rebound on and right after impact.

 

[loki09789]

Striking the solar plexus can have a varied effect, but basically the most common effect of a well placed solar plexus strike is a muscle spasm of the diaphragm. This causes the reaction of the person not being able to "catch their breath" or breath deeply. Other residual effects include items such as damage to the ribs at the base of the sternum; possible heart bruising (depending on the angle of the strike); diaphragmal tears or rips, etc.

Respects,
Bill Parsons
Triangle Kenpo Institute

I believe the bone that covers the Solar Plexus is called the Zyphoid Process. Theoretically, this piece can break off and cause damage like a piece of shrapnel if impacted.

The solar plexus, as far as I know, is the vacuum space between the lungs and the diaphram muscle that creates the pump pressure (like a manual water pump) that creates suction to pull air into the lungs or pressure to push air out of the lungs. So, in reality when you target the Solar Plexus you are creating an energy wave that travels primarily through that vacuum and is the equivalent of the affect when you squeeze a balloon.

Could a person create enough force to actually tear/rip the diaphram? What about that thin membrane the maintains the vacuum below the lungs, what affect would damage to that have on a person?

 

[Ray]

Now that I know we have at least one MD and possibly several other people qualified to know: I'm curious about the possiblity of rupturing the pancreas via a strike. About 17 yrs ago, one of my children took a spill on a bicycle and he landed on the end of the handle bar. It was, maybe 2 inches lower than the bottom of the sternum (lower than than the solar plexus). It ruptured his pancreas and he needed surgery.

I guess I'm asking if it is a viable target?

 

[distalero]

Although it can collapse on a sort of compartmentalized basis, generally speaking ripping the pleural lining could cause a lung lobe filling with blood leading to a collapsed lung. If it gets bad enough it can pull the trachea over to the opposite side and kill ya dead.

 

[loki09789]

Although it can collapse on a sort of compartmentalized basis, generally speaking ripping the pleural lining could cause a lung lobe filling with blood leading to a collapsed lung. If it gets bad enough it can pull the trachea over to the opposite side and kill ya dead.

Let me quote from MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING: "Ew. Please tell me that was the end of your speech..."

Really makes you realize how important RESPONSIBLE training really is when you read stuff laid out this graphically,

 

[Simon Curran]

For what it is worth, (I have no medical knowledge, but believe that feeling is believing) I was at a seminar playing dummy as usual this last weekend, and managed to find myself on the business end of a very heavy front kick to the area moat of us know as the solar plexus...
Result? about 2 minutes sitting on my butt, 2 bruised ribs and a smile that just won't go away...

 

[Doc]

For what it is worth, (I have no medical knowledge, but believe that feeling is believing) I was at a seminar playing dummy as usual this last weekend, and managed to find myself on the business end of a very heavy front kick to the area moat of us know as the solar plexus...
Result? about 2 minutes sitting on my butt, 2 bruised ribs and a smile that just won't go away...

Exactly. It sounds like you were stuck in the sternum resulted in the bruised ribs as I suggested in my previous post, and not the solar plexus which not easily accessed by human blunt force trauma. Gentleman please re-read my post as it answers most of the generated questions.