Movie Knock-outs
 

I hate "Movie Knock-outs". You guys know what I'm talking about - right? A good guy, in a movie, needs to incapacitate someone like a guard. So the good guy sneaks up and hits the guard (or who ever) with an object of some kind (lamp, pipe, vase, frying pan :pan:, etc...) and the guard is "knocked out", but is otherwise fine.

Oh my ****ing God that is SO ANNOYING!!!!!! Why do they keep using this unnecessary and STUPID cliche in movies!?! I'm not a doctor - but I'm willing to bet that if you hit someone hard enough to incapacitate them - then this is how it would happen:
22% - instant death
32% - unconsciousness, vomiting, bleeding, death occurs in less then an hour unless hospitalized.
27% - severe brain damage requiring hospitalization.
18% - spinal injury requiring hospitalization.
1% - unconsciousness with no permanent consequences.

And what gets me the most is how UNNESSESARY it is as a plot device! If a writer does not want to show the hero killing the guard - then have him use chloroform or a taser! Or have him over power the guard with a struggle. CHRIST! WHY why why do they keep using this stupid cliche!?!?!?!?

Those are pretty precise percentages for someone without the proper medical knowledge. How did you arrive at them?

It would be intriguing to know the opinion of a professional medico on this one. Anyone in that line about?

Actually, if you hit a person on the back of the head on the "pressure points", it'll knock him out for about 30 seconds-1 minute, with few or no permanent effects. Of course, if you hit a person hard enough, sure, you'll break something.

Personally, I'm fond of the Vulcan pinch.

Or the Judo chop.