How to take a watermelon smash to the face

A giant slingshot. A watermelon. And a woman's face. It'll all make sense after you watch this clip from CBS's "The Amazing Race."

I mean, OUCH, right? But the clip left us wondering: How do you come back from a watermelon smash to the face?!

"She's lucky," says Dr. Stephen Epstein, a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians, who practices emergency medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Epstein interrupted a nice day at home with the family for Rosh Hashanah to watch (and rewatch and rewatch) the silly video. In slo-mo. "It looks like the point of impact was sort of between the eyes and the lower part the forehead, 'cause if it hit her nose she would've broken it. It's obviously a lot more force than heading a soccer ball, but it's the same type of thing."

Watch TODAYshow.com's Courtney Hazlett discuss the watermelon smash

Right after getting watermeloned, we hear the poor lady say "I can't feel my face" and "I have the worst headache." Based on that, Epstein has a hunch that she may have had a concussion.

Obviously, we don't know what happened behind the scenes, but let’s hope the show producers got her immediate medical attention. Serious head trauma isn’t always easy to spot. A person may seem fine one moment with no obvious head bleeding or fracture. But within a few hours or days, bruising or swelling, severe headache, slurred speech or vomiting could develop. That’s a sign of something way more serious.

"Even though it might be considered ‘just a watermelon’, it still could have posed a potentially serious injury to the head or the neck," says Dr. Dennis Allin, chairman of emergency medicine at the University of Kansas Hospital. "While the woman appears to be fine in the video, many symptoms of head and neck injuries are not immediately apparent."

After a blow to the head, the brain needs time to heal. For kids, that means a few days without contact sports. For this lady -- maybe step away from the giant slingshot.

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Discuss this post

To bad this wasen't my ex

    Reply#1 - Thu Sep 9, 2010 5:42 PM EDT

    that was the funniest thing i've saw in a long time. I hope she's ok

      Reply#2 - Thu Sep 9, 2010 7:27 PM EDT

        Thanks for the laugh Rod.. will this woman ever crave watermellon again?

        Reply#3 - Thu Sep 9, 2010 7:53 PM EDT

        "You have to finish" I wonder if that's why so many of us consider these "reality shows' CRAP.

          Reply#4 - Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:48 AM EDT

          Oh please. You don't even watch The Amazing Race. It's a smart, well-crafted travel-competition show. The person who said "You have to finish" was her teammate/friend, who wanted to continue with the race, not the show's host or some producer.

            #4.1 - Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:47 PM EDT
            Reply

            Before I watched the clip, all I could imagine was one of those honkin' huge watermelons. The fact that it was a baby watermelon probably doesn't lessen the pain that this girl experienced, but at least I can go to sleep tonight knowing it wasn't a 20-lb watermelon.

            I wonder what her face looked like a few hours after impact! What about the day after?

              Reply#5 - Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:49 AM EDT

              I know! The clip leaves so many questions unanswered!

                #5.1 - Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:32 PM EDT
                Reply

                Good thing they weren't using coconuts. I am glad she wasn't seriously hurt.

                  Reply#6 - Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:06 AM EDT

                  this host is one of the most idiotic human beings I have ever seen. she has absolutely no consideration for the contestant. I guess if she was in a coma she would have to keep going because its the amazing race after all. absolutely asinine. what a crazy bitch.

                    Reply#7 - Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:35 PM EDT

                    Jeff-that's not the host. That's her best friend and partner on the race.

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#8 - Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:15 PM EDT
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