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A recent incident during a Spanish Segunda División game between CD Tenerife and FC Andorra resulted in the tragic death of Tenerife player Jesús de Miguel. Although no official statement has confirmed the cause of his death, some reports suggest it could have been commotio cordis. This is a rare but well-known medical condition that can cause sudden cardiac arrest after a blow to the chest.

Commotio cordis means "agitation of the heart." It was first described by doctors in the 1850s. In 1932, researchers in Germany identified three factors that help explain how it happens: the type of impact, its speed and where it strikes the chest. A sudden, sharp blow is particularly dangerous.

The heart sits inside the chest, protected by the ribs and the sternum, the flat bone at the front of the chest. Its lower tip points toward the left side of the body.

Unlike other muscles, the heart contains specialized muscle cells that generate their own electrical signals, allowing it to beat without conscious effort. It contracts thousands of times a day to keep blood circulating around the body, adjusting its activity to meet changing demands.

Heart muscle also does not tire in the same way as the muscles we use to walk, run or lift things. It can keep working throughout our lives because it relaxes between beats, giving itself time to recover.

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