Illusionist David Blaine has been hanging around, upside down for the past couple of days. You can find him at the swinging in the breeze above the Wollmann ice rink in Central Park, New York.
Its a stunt that requires a great deal of endurance, focus, and might I add, stupidity.
Medical, hanging up side down for long periods of time is simply not a good idea. It can mess with the heart and cause the blood pressure to rise. There’s increased risk of brain haemorrhage, seizures, and blindness because of all the blood pooling in the brain and skull. It can also cause breathing problems - with the diaphragm upside down, the intestines will be exerting pressure on the lungs, making breathing more difficult. And of course, there’s less blood, and therefore oxygen, going to the legs, which could possibly cause muscle tissue to die off.
All in all, doesn’t seem like a smart move. Even Blaine’s own physican, when told about the stunt, said ‘”It scared the crap out of me.”
So, really, I really have to ask ‘why would someone put themselves through this?’
