If you’re a gym regular, you’re probably familiar with the feeling of achey or sore muscles a day or two after overdoing it slightly during...
If you’re a gym regular, you’re probably familiar with the feeling of achey or sore muscles a day or two after overdoing it slightly during your workout. But while this is common – and normal – pushing your body to do more than it’s capable of could result in a dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis.
Known as “rhabdo” for short, it’s a potentially life-threatening condition caused by damage to muscle cells. Rhabdo was originally known as “crush syndrome” and was first identified in victims of the London Blitz in the 1940s. Victims survived their crush injuries only to die several days later from kidney failure. Today, around 47% of rhabdomyolysis cases are in people who engage in extreme exercise that’s unfamiliar to them. This is known as “exertional rhabdomyolysis”.
Rhabdomyolysis happens when muscle damage causes an excessive increase in internal calcium, causing muscle cells to die. As the muscle cells die, they release proteins into the blood, including myoglobin (the protein that makes our muscles absorb oxygen) and creatine kinase (a protein involved in energy production). Myoglobin is usually filtered by the kidneys but, as it’s a large protein, excessive amounts can damage the kidneys, block urine production and cause life-threatening complications such as kidney failure or compartment syndrome (where swelling prevents...
