aily Dose
WHEN EXERCISE
GOES TOO FAR High-intensity exercise is getting more popular as people seek more exciting and effective ways to work out. However, excessive exertion carries a small risk of serious muscle damage, known as rhabdomyolysis. In consultation with Dr Benjamin Soh, Registrar, Sports & Exercise Medicine Centre, KTPH
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t is common to experience muscle soreness after rigorous exercise, especially if you are new to a fitness regime or have just increased the intensity of your workout. However, if your muscle aches are more severe than normal and accompanied by nausea, rapid heartbeat, and/or brown-coloured urine, it could be a sign of something more serious. The condition is called rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening condition where damaged muscle breaks down and ‘leaks’ into the blood and urine. Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by: • Traumatic injury: when a limb is trapped/crushed in an accident • Substance abuse: the use of illegal drugs and excessive alcohol • Strenuous exertion: which causes muscle cells to be depleted, causing them to die
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HOW COMMON IS EXERCISERELATED RHABDOMYOLYSIS? Generally, most hospitals see only a few cases of rhabdomyolysis related to exertion a year; it is far more common to be caused by trauma. A study in military recruits undergoing basic training showed 22.2 cases per 100,000 per year, an incidence of only about 0.02%. Even though the condition is relatively rare, it has come under the spotlight recently due to the rise in popularity of high-intensity workouts, including spinning. However, the overall risk remains low and should not discourage individuals from exercising.
