# Is it true that getting hit in between heartbeats

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 30, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695 "2006-06-30T00:06:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695/1 "2006-06-30T00:06:06Z")

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hard and fast enough that your heart could not start back up?

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695/2 "2006-06-30T00:11:44Z")

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Actually the hard and fast part isn’t necessary. A rather soft blow by a ball in exactly the right time and place on your chest can and will cause your heart to get out of rhythm.

It is called [Commotio Cordis](http://www.nemc.org/medicine/card/commotiocordis.htm) and many people have died from it.

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**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695/3 "2006-06-30T00:15:59Z")

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Err, I’m pretty sure if you get hit hard and fast enough at any point during the heartbeat cycle your heart can stop…or get pulverized into mist.

I guess if you are asking if there is an unusually “low” amount of force that can be applied during specific times in the heart beat cycle to cause a disruption of the cycle.

The answer is yes, there is. See [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commotio_cordis)

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**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695/4 "2006-06-30T01:12:36Z")

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thanks, interesting reading.

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-getting-hit-in-between-heartbeats/362695/5 "2006-06-30T01:50:02Z")

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[The Master Speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040521.html)