Last night I got hit on the head so hard...

[Charlie]

...that a flash of light went off in my head and a high pitched ringing commenced for a few seconds. That was weird! It was like someone in my brain taking a flash photograph.

[nodachi]

hmmm.... were your pupils different sizes after the hit (if you had a chance to check, of course)... I've been told that that is a good sign you've got a concussion... I have had far too many to be healthy...

... you should be careful not to get any serious whacks on the head too soon after that one... things heal quite well, but if you get multiple whacks to the brain too soon, like within the next couple weeks, it don't heal so well... if it heals at all...

...worse case senario, but it is not worth the risk...

...you should also be careful because even if it doesn't hurt or anything within even the next 5 or 10 minutes, doctors may still call them concussions sometimes...

OK... MOMMY IS GOING TO STOP LECTURING NOW....

hope you feel better

: )

[Charlie]

Ya know, I felt fine, even when it happened. But on the way home I thought... should I see a doctor? I didn't feel the least bit tired or hurt, so I just shrugged it off.

[nodachi]

There is no harm in going to a doctor, but if you felt fine even when it happened then I would assume that everything is fine. If it ain't broke then don't fix it. If there are no symptoms to describe to them, they may say.. well.. we can give you a CAT scan to make sure it's safe... but that could be costly and unnecessary. Maybe it was just a surprizing hit or something. I am merely stating what has been told to me in the past, but each time I had a concussion I definitely felt something for at least a few minutes after the hit.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I am just repeating what they have told me. It gets old after the third or fourth concussion.

[AlexM]

Maybe it's not a concussion. A flash of light is sometimes associated with your retinas detaching (I think temporarily...if that's even possible). Might explain why you don't have a headache now. Either way it's not good. Of course my little theory wouldn't explain the ringing sound you heard. Probably should ask someone who knows what the hell they're talking about.

Then again, maybe a small gnome or troll IS taking flash photography in your brain. In which case I suggest that a good bleeding would cure your ills.

"I'm not a doctor but I play one on the message boards."

[Kendoboy]

I got hit quite hard a couple times, and I was told that I might be lowering my head a bit too much. Maybe you're doing the same. Hard hitting is still a problem though.

[Charlie]

It was during kakarigeiko and I'm sure my friend was just "in the zone," you know. I feel fine. Except for that constant twitching and drooling...

[nodachi]

Take two lip tucks and call me in the morning... as for the twitcing...

[ben]

Seriously though, you should be very careful of your head. There is what is known as Multiple Impact Syndrome, where if you get two minor concussions within a short space of time (ie < a few days apart) they can combine synergistically to produce an effect like a very serious concussion. Four days is the recommended minimum rest period after a minor concussion. Concussions have four grades: grade 1 = seeing stars; 2 = temporary disorientation (e.g. don't know what day it is); 3 = brief loss of consciousness; 4 = total loss of consciousness.

*I am not a doctor warning* This info is simply posted in order to encourage people to take care of their heads and see a doctor if in ANY doubt. Charlie if I were you, after such an episode I would sit out the next training and just watch.
:::)
b

[Charlie]

Well, this was on Tuesday, and I won't be at kendo again until next Tuesday (although I'm supposed to do judo on Saturday... maybe I'll keep it light...)

[Charlie]

P.S. Thank you, guys! (Twitch, drool...)

[JSchmidt]

"It was during kakarigeiko and I'm sure my friend was just "in the zone,""

That's interesting, as during kakari-geiko is usually where people don't have time to hit hard. (And they should be reasonably tired at that stage).
I find that during the initial kiri-kaeshi and kihon, people (include the Japanese!) will in general hit quite hard, but as the practice progresses it will lighten up considerably.

Jakob

[Matthew Lagden]

i would concur with jakob, especially as we do Kirikaeshi as a warm up at the beginning when people aren't tired and the cuts are more deliberate and so tend on both counts to be harder - whereas during kakari - geiko cuts are more 'opportunistic' and tend to be done with tired arms and so are generally softer.

i have often ended up seeing stars though - but i always have a week between keiko to recover so i guess i should be okay....

i have just realised that i just repeated exactly what jakob said. that must be the concussion mushing my brain.

anyone (american i guess) remember the old "this is your brain on drugs" poster (it showed a fried egg in a pan and was meant to discourage one from indulging in illegal substances)?

pity noone ever showed me the 'this is your brain after Kendo Keiko' poster depicting depicting a melon being squished with a shinai.

still too late now.

[Kendoboy]

I loved that advert! it was based on one from the 70's that said "the last time I was on acid I decided to draw a self portrait (holds up pic of bizarre stick like figure)" Anyway.....

[Matthew Lagden]

I was motadachi for non-armoured beginners for the first time last night and they really did have me seeing stars - but worse some of them were way off target and were wacking straight down on to my shoulders, and this morning i have big black and purple bruises across my shoulders and collarbones.

Still looking back on it I suppose I must have done the same when i started out....

[Charlie]

Okay, for the record, I e-mailed my doc and he said take two weeks off. Grrrr... I suppose he's right, and I'll only miss one practice, but I feel fine and - well, I wanna play. Waaah!

[JSchmidt]

Docs always says that....

Jakob

[David J]

Originally posted by Matthew Lagden
this morning i have big black and purple bruises across my shoulders and collarbones.

Take a picture of yourself and use it to frighten the newbies into developing some tenouchi ;)

D

[Hyaku]

I used to try and define the amount of force required by holding a shinai up in the air and letting it drop to the ground saying "See how much force was required? Gravity does most of the work". Trouble is if we put to much muscle into it things slow down. Takes years to dis-associate agression with physical force.

Hyaku

http://www.bunbun.ne.jp/~sword/

[munenmuso]

I agree.

Nothing much better to "use the force" in its most natural momentum so as not to apply excessive force that may result to injuries. Those newbies. It's payback time once they are allowed to wear theirboguEspeciallythose:

"Koooooooooooooteeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh".ARGHHHH!!!!!!

Just Kidding.:)

[amatsuda]

I used to get a little punch drunk after a long practice or doing motodachi for beginners.

Although these days you can buy bogu with Sorbothane in it, mine is an older set and does not have it. Therefore, I cut and put a piece of sorbothane inside the men with double sided tape. It works quite well and the decrease of the shock is quite noticeable. I bought the sheet of sorbothane from Edmunds Scientific.

http://www.scientificsonline.com/ec/Products/Display.cfm?CategoryID=192980

amatsuda
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/sjkendo