Quote:
Originally Posted by trux
I mention it because the mechanism of the blackout is very similar to the one at apnea - it is also caused by brain hypoxia, although not due to the general blood hypoxemia, but rather due to the hyperventilation and subsequent hypocapnia. So if there are numerous deaths due to hyperventilation games among the teens, it is very likely you can die in similar way when training dry apnea.
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I don't know all the specific risks of various types of hypoxia, but there are some which are associated with 'choking games' and autoerotic asphyxiation which are unlikely to happen during breath-holding. These are: cardiac arrest due to compression of the carotid artery, rupture of the carotid artery or other major vessels resulting in internal bleeding, losing consciousness with something tied around the neck or over the head.
Certainly the risk of head injury by falling over is very serious, and not a joke. A hard blow to the head can cause bleeding into the brain. When I had the accident mentioned above, I had a splitting headache the next day, and was very scared that I had done some serious damage.
When someone falls over in normal circumstances (trip, slip, falling off a chair), their normal reflex is to fall forward and put their hands out. This usually reduces the damage. When someone falls over backwards or blacks out in a standing position, they will keel over like a falling tree and probably bash their head or face on the ground.
I wouldn't be able to face the embarassment of going to the park with knee-pads and a helmet though.
About using a nose clip, I wouldn't do it. During and after a blackout, the breathing reflex may not be very strong, and it may also be possible to fall in a position where the mouth is closed.
