Exercising regularly is one of the pillars to live a healthy life. Based on this principle and sponsored by the popularity explosion on social media, the fitness fashion and sports apparel market harvest exorbitant fruits in the last decade.
According to recent data, the launch of this market worldwide–with Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Under Armour as key players–reported $135 billion dollars in 2012, this year will be almost $174 billion, and projecting for 2024 is $220 billion dollars.
These numbers are just a sample of the massive effect the fitness fashion has had in the lifestyle of millions of people. Men and women have turned working-out into an essential component of their lives, influencing the younger generations to take care of their health.
However, trendy sports such as CrossFit and Spinning are producing an alarming increase in the cases of a dangerous syndrome induced by physical exertion.
It is called Rhabdomyolysis or Rhabdo for shorter, and it is the necrosis or death of the skeletal muscles cells which releases myoglobin into the bloodstream. In other words, the muscle trauma spills a toxic protein into the blood which can poison the kidneys.
In mild cases, treatment requires hospitalization and IV hydration to flush out the toxins for several days until the levels of creatine phosphokinase stabilize. Other cases, might require surgery to relieve the muscle pressure.
In the worst case scenario though, the kidneys shut down and the patient could end up on dialysis. Kidney failure produces an overload of potassium in the body, which could lead to an abnormal heart rate and death.
The most common symptoms include muscle inflammation, excruciating pain, and dark brown urine. Doctors recommend going to the ER regardless if all symptoms are present. Persistent inflammation and the inability to bend the legs is enough to seek medical attention.
A study published in 2017 by The American Journal of Medicine revealed that 42 out of 46 patients admitted to the hospital for exertional rhabdomyolysis had attended a spin class for the first time.
Although novice people are more prone to suffer from this ailment, anybody, including professional athletes who exercise a new muscle group and push too hard, can fell ill as well.
In conclusion, one thing is working out to stay active and another one is training at the same level of the Tour de France pretending to become a professional cyclist overnight. As everything else in life, one must learn to walk before one can run.
Thank you for reading and sharing.
Xiomara Spadafora
Good crazy woman 