There’s a lot to consider when your child plays a sport, particularly with so much research now being carried out into the long-term impact of concussion. With this in mind, it’s so important to invest in the appropriate protective gear, and it looks like there’s a new item to add to the kit.

 

A US father has urged the parents of children who play baseball to invest in a ‘heart guard shirt’.

 

John Curtin took to Facebook to make the recommendation, sharing a photo of the Under Armour shirt featuring panels on the front.

 

“My 11-year-old, Ryan, wears one and it literally might have saved his life today,” he said, sharing the all-important details of the recent incident.

 

“He was pitching, and one of the hardest hit line drives came back and hit him straight dead-centre in the chest, and the heart guard absorbed the hit. He was in a lot of pain but a lot better than the alternative,” he explained.

 

 

Young Ryan’s coach, who is an Emergency Medical Technician, confirmed the power of the shirt, telling John that could very well have been forced to give the boy CPR had he not been wearing the protective garment.

 

“It was one of the scariest moments I ever had with my kids. We are in urgent care, getting chest x-rays now,” he added.

 

Wow. By the sounds of it, Ryan is lucky he was wearing one of these. The shirt is by popular sports brand Under Armour and retails for $30 to $50 (around £23 to £38).

 

John’s advice is certainly something to take on board, particularly when you consider just how dangerous baseball-related injuries can be.

 

Commotio cordis, a potentially lethal disruption of heart rhythm, is the leading recorded cause of death in youth baseball in the States. It is usually brought on by a hard blow to the area directly over the heart.

 

 

Indeed, one woman thanked John for his warning and shared her own tragic experience, in the comment section.

 

She revealed that, over 10 years ago, her cousin’s young son died after being hit in the chest while playing a family game of basketball.

 

“Doctors said the ball hit him at the same time his heart beat…That’s what caused his death. Not sure if the shirt would have helped, but would have been good to have,” wrote Tina Lowry.

 

We’ll definitely be investing. Were you already aware of these shirts?

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