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**daodejing** · 06-09-2003, 12:35 AM

There is a U-shaped bone in the throat at the top of the neck just under the jaw, if this, the Hyoid bone, is struck and fractured the chances of the person dying within the next hour are very very high. It will more than likely collapse the trachea and all sorts of bad things will happen from there on. So don't go hitting anyone in the hyoid bone, and counsel your friends who do gungfu not to kick you in the hyoid bone. Peace and skittles, with just a few beers on the side.

**daodejing** · 06-09-2003, 12:37 AM

Keep your chin down and pinned to your collarbone when you're practicing man for godsake, you dont need to train iron neck.

**juszczec** · 06-09-2003, 12:49 AM

Originally posted by daodejing
Keep your chin down and pinned to your collarbone when you're practicing man for godsake, you dont need to train iron neck.

Agreed.

However, despite the best precautions accidents happen. Unfortunately, even enough controlled strikes will loosen stuff up.

I'm living proof.

Mark

**doc** · 06-09-2003, 04:08 AM

I know there are 2 tubes running down the throat. One leading to the lungs and one leading to the stomach. I think the stomach tube is in front. Why? I've gotten smacked in the throat and been able to breathe. But for the next couple of days swallowing food and drink is a bear.

The larynx and the trachea, the "air tube" is anterior, or in front of, the esophagus, or "food tube". The reason why a blow to the larynx will cause some discomfort, and possibly swelling of the esophagus which lies directly behind it, is because of the bony structure of the larynx. Any presssure to the larynx will push back and possibly injure the esophagus behind it. Is this a serious thing? No. You generally do not get significant esophageal complications or traumatic injury from blunt anterior trauma to the neck.

However, you can get into some serious trouble with trauma to the larynx, which is bony, or to the tracheal cartilaginous rings, which lie directly below. Because of the prominence of the larynx in the neck, most blunt force to the neck will most likely injure the larynx, unless a finger strike is directed below the laryngeal prominence (definitely an effective blow). Fracture of the larynx can result in swelling, which can then lead to airway impairment. It's not a place to be fooling around with.

I've attached an image of a dissected neck (esophagus and larynx) so you can get an idea of the closeness of these structures:

This view is from the rear looking forward, with the cervical spine removed. You can see the opening to the larynx which is directly below number one, the epiglottis. Numbers three and four are the arytenoid cartilages, which is the back and upper part of the larynx. The space which is behind the larynx, in this picture, in the front of the image, number nine, is the anterior wall of the esophagus. Because of its muscular nature, it is pretty difficult to injure with just blunt trauma to the neck.

Attached Files

esophagus.jpg (23.1 KB, 309 views)

**doc** · 06-09-2003, 04:20 AM

Now if we look at the larynx itself, this time from the side, you can see the larynx cut in half. In this picture, the front of the neck is to the right, the back is to the left, and we're looking at the inside of the larynx. Number 18 is the epiglottis, which is a piece of tissue which covers the opening of the larynx. The space behind the larynx, number 17 and 19, is the esophagus. Number 7 is the anterior wall of the larynx, the laryngeal promince, which is the so called "adams apple", the thing you look for in strippers to see if they're a cross dressing maie. Number 11 is the cricoid cartilage, which you can feel as the next ridge after the depression under the laryngeal prominence. Number 13 is the trachea, or the air pipe; within it you can see the soft yet rigid tracheal rings which give the trachea its stability. Number 12 is just part of the thyroid. Striking the neck at number 12 or below with a finger or some other small object, might not collapse the trachea, as it is pretty resilient, but it will cause a significant amount of pain and occasionally, some difficulty breathing. (It is a sure way of stopping someone). The size of the trachea in this region is about the diameter of your thumb. The area of 8, 9, 10 is the vocal cords.

Trauma to the larynx can result in fracture, which can result in subsequent swelling and airway impairment.

Repeated trauma to these structures will most likely not cause much laxity in tissue strength, remember, that after an injury, the body repairs itself and scars that area down, making it tougher. But you can disrupt the joints of the arytenoid cartilages, which, because of their close proximity to the esophagus, might lead to difficulty swallowing.

Again, this is not an area to be messing around with. If you're getting repeatedly injured in the neck, then all I can say, is that your sparring is not adequately supervised, or your training practices are inadequate. Re-evaluation of your sparring sessions and techniques are in order. Don't mess with the neck. There are far too many small structures, such as the vertebrae behind the esophagus (the actual spinal column), which, if injured or disrupted, can lead to significant pain and disability not only in the immediate trauma period, but for many years to come, much later in life.

(The contents, and information found in russbo.com and all its various sections, such as text, graphics, images, information obtained from doc (Richard Russell MD), and other material contained on the russbo.com site and forums are for informational purposes only. The information provided within is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the russbo.com site).

Attached Files

larynx.jpg (21.5 KB, 304 views)

**arhat** · 06-09-2003, 06:33 AM

gee Doc...

...no wonder you have trouble meeting nice girls, after what happened to the LAST two...

**doc** · 06-09-2003, 05:54 PM

Hey, they talked too much.

**arhat** · 06-09-2003, 06:06 PM

cme to think of it...

...I haven't seen Cheye around- hope she doesn't appear in the shoulder thread...heh heh heh...

**Cheyenne** · 06-09-2003, 07:04 PM

thanks for the concern

Arhat,

I'm fine and still alive. Damn, and there I wondered why he's always carrying a scalpel in his pocket.
Guess I can find the answer in the pictures above...lol

**shaolinstylee** · 06-09-2003, 07:29 PM

I knew there was a reason there are always calls for more girls at "church"

The throat is a dangerous place to get hit. There are a lot of things in there that can be damaged, and none of it is easy pain so to speak. I never thought of the inflamation of the esophagus, etc..... Thanks for the info Doc.

**arhat** · 06-09-2003, 08:40 PM

yeah...

...and in that bright orange fanny pack, you can just sort of make out a ton of little black numbers...I always wondered what those were for...now I know!!

**feylahn** · 04-28-2005, 05:09 AM

Just surfing the various posts and came across this one.

Having been kicked in the throat before (roundhouse kick gone astray), I can say that I never let it happen again. It hurt and I was slightly dazed and confused the rest of the evening and hoarse the next day or two.

I never thought about any of the other possible things that could go wrong though. Good to know.

**LeiYunFat** · 04-28-2005, 06:31 AM

I've been hit in the throat as well, and I gotta say, in a fight, that is where I'll be lookin to put some down.

Plus, squeezing the adam's apple of someone is fun.

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