The technical name is Commotio cordis. It simply means a shot to the chest (or, literally from the Latin, "agitation of the heart"). Doctors describe it as a sudden, blunt, and innocuous-appearing trauma to the chest that results in cardiac arrest and sudden death. The shot to heart occurs during what medical experts call "a window of vulnerability" during the 10- to 30-millisecond moment between heartbeats. The U.S. National Commotio Registry records 224 fatal cases of Commotio cordis from 1996-2010. it is the third most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes, with more than 75% of cases occurring during organized and recreational sporting events.

On Monday, 2 January 2023, Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills collapsed just 9 min into an American NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Worldwide, millions of spectators witnessed Hamlin take a direct hit to the chest, after which he stood up, took a few steps, then promptly collapsed on the field. First responders quickly responded to his collapse as a cardiac arrest. Given that all NFL players receive a mandatory in-depth medical evaluation, including an electrocardiogram (ECG), prior to being allowed to compete, a leading theory was that Damar Hamlin collapsed due to commotio cordis (CC).

Here's how one cardiologist described the concealed trauma of Commotio cordis: "When you get a trauma to any muscle you can see it bruise and swell. When it happens to your arm or leg you can see that directly too. But when it happens to your heart, you can't see the trauma because it's covered by the chest and the ribs."

Initial survival rates reported from the 1970s to 1990s were low, ranging from 10% to 15%. However, with improved cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts and awareness, survival rates in registry data have been reported to have increased to 58% over the past decade (Note: As reported in 2023).

Possible Preaching Angles: Wounds; Suffering; Trauma—Many people in our world are suffering from spiritual, relational, emotional Commotio cordis. They've taken a shot to the heart at a vulnerable time, and although you can't see the bruise, it has caused relational or emotional death. They still carry the wound or burden that God wants to heal.