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Shooting and the Brain


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Just watched a topic on BBC news re heading a leather football and brain damage. When I'm shooting with DB and others it always makes me think of the constant jarring the brain gets over a day. It could explain our conversations in the car when we both forget the name of the farmer or farm? ????

 

You know you aren't meant to touch the scope when you shoot?!

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That's quite an interesting concept, I'm not sure the recoil is enough to actually shake the brain in the way an impact does though.

 

Suffice it to say that I had an eye operation last April, which involved a gas bubble being inserted at the back of my eye. I got the all clear to resume shooting today. The Specialist believed that the recoil COULD, dislodge his handiwork.

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Just watched a topic on BBC news re heading a leather football and brain damage. When I'm shooting with DB and others it always makes me think of the constant jarring the brain gets over a day. It could explain our conversations in the car when we both forget the name of the farmer or farm?????

Thinking more on the subject it would have the effect of being punch drunk?????

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That's quite an interesting concept, I'm not sure the recoil is enough to actually shake the brain in the way an impact does though.

 

No question it is and does, it's why many people get gun headaches and the higher the recoil and the bigger the volume of shots you put your body through the higher the chance enough is transmitted to the blood vessels around the brain to cause pain/drowsiness. The only difference is the degree which depends on many factors not least the body mass though of course things such as gun fit, type of recoil pad and even individual susceptibility comes into it.

 

When I was a youngster I very quickly learned that a single head of a real football was enough to give me a headache as was shaking my hair dry when getting out of the pool for example. You have to think of it in terms of the sheer repetition when partaking in a days clay shooting for instance, just watch the neck/head of anyone regardless of size and unsurprisingly each and every shot causes a very real jolt. Now imagine standing in front of a boxer who gently taps you on the head to the same degree 100-200 times in a couple of hours :unhappy: the cumulative effect could easily cause real discomfort.

Edited by Hamster
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No question it is and does, it's why many people get gun headaches and the higher the recoil and the bigger the volume of shots you put your body through the higher the chance enough is transmitted to the blood vessels around the brain to cause pain/drowsiness. The only difference is the degree which depends on many factors not least the body mass though of course things such as gun fit, type of recoil pad and even individual susceptibility comes into it.

 

When I was a youngster I very quickly learned that a single head of a real football was enough to give me a headache as was shaking my hair dry when getting out of the pool for example. You have to think of it in terms of the sheer repetition when partaking in a days clay shooting for instance, just watch the neck/head of anyone regardless of size and unsurprisingly each and every shot causes a very real jolt. Now imagine standing in front of a boxer who gently taps you on the head to the same degree 100-200 times in a couple of hours :unhappy: the cumulative effect could easily cause real discomfort.

Yea I guess, what I was getting at is I would of thought 50 smacks to the turnip with a football must have more of an impact.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by impact being transmitted to the blood vessels, my understanding of impact concussion is mechanical of origin, the brain being shook with such force it 'sloshes' around and strikes the bony box of the skull.

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Using heavy recoiling rifles in an everyday situation can cause damage. To the brain ? I don't know. To the eyes, yes certainly. I had a well known gun writer from the States as a friend, the late John Wootters and he was shooting rifles almost daily, 416s, 458s etc etc and was away from home when he lost the sight in one eye. He struggled back and went to the Emergency room, then to an eye specialist and it was detected he had detached his retina quite badly and the surgeon told him that his rifle shooting days were over and had in all probability caused the damage and he would not get full vision from that eye again. He went to shooting handguns for hunting and became skilful at using his other eye to aim.

So beware, excessive recoil can cause damage.

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