"I don't think [Synder will] have a difficult time with it," he [Jack Llewellyn] said. "With catchers it's a little bit of a different situation, because catchers are usually perceived as the more rugged guys on a team. They're used to being hit by foul tips."
Still, a testicular fracture is not something that is easily shaken off. In simple terms, a testicular fracture involves a "crack" in the testicle; the organ retains its shape, but it is damaged. Though different from a testicular rupture, which involves a complete hemorrhage of the testicle, a fracture in this delicate organ can be extraordinarily painful -- and may even require surgery, in many cases.
"It is indeed extraordinarily painful," said Dr. Mark Litwin, professor of urology and public health at the University of California at Los Angeles. Litwin adds that the natural vulnerability of testicles is "one of these anatomical curiosities med students never understand."
"The placement of ovaries makes sense. ... [Testicles] are in the worst place you could put them. They really are in harm's way."
Hey, Doc, you don't need to tell wrestler D.J. St. James about that.
St. James was a freshman wrestler competing at a high school tournament six years ago. During one match, he was performing a single leg takedown on his opponent when he sustained a sudden and surprising injury.
"When he fell down, his foot came up between my legs," St. James said. "His foot exploded my testicle."
St. James didn't realize the extent of his injury at first. He finished the match with a victory. But the seriousness of the situation soon hit.
"After I walked off the mat, I fell to the ground when I felt the pain," he recalled. "I can't describe how much it hurt. ... It swelled up bigger than my fist."