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A young Malaysian woman in Singapore has taken to social media to warn friends about the dangers of overexertion during high-intensity workouts such as spinning
Spinning, or indoor cycling, has become a popular exercise in the fitness scene.
However, due to its high energy environment, coupled with loud, pumping music and motivational instructors, many do not realise how strenuous the exercise can actually be.
Usually occurring only in marathon runners and military personnel, doctors are reporting more cases of exertional rhabdomyolysis caused by spin classes around the world.
Rhabdomyolysis is a life-threatening condition caused by damaged muscles fibres breaking down rapidly and releasing their contents into the bloodstream, leading to acute kidney failure.
Symptoms include muscle pain, muscle weakness, and dark brown urine due to proteins from broken muscle entering the urine.
Image via South China Morning Post
That is how 28-year-old Atrina Lau recently ended up in a hospital facing possible acute kidney failure after a spin class
“Spinning almost took my life,” she began in a Facebook post on her personal account, sharing her experience after attending a spin class on 7 March.
“Right after we finished class, my legs were limp and I couldn’t really walk properly,” she said, not expecting anything amiss.
“But the next three days of walking was very, very, very painful. I couldn’t squat and I couldn’t sit. Every movement I made was agonising.”
At that point, she said she still thought it was typical muscle soreness after exercise because she had not exercised for a long time.
In the next few days, Lau said she started to realise that her urine was turning brown and that her muscle pain was becoming unbearable
“I quickly went online to search for ‘muscle soreness after spinning’ and saw that the answer was a little more complex than I initially thought. So that night, I immediately went to a clinic to get referred to a government hospital emergency department to test my blood and urine,” she wrote.
At 2am in the wee hours of the morning, she found out that she had rhabdomyolysis.
According to her doctor, her muscle breakdown was so severe that her creatinine kinase levels were over 70,000 units per litre (U/L).
Creatinine kinase is a protein released by the muscles when they break down and its normal range is usually less than 200 U/L.
“He told me I needed to be hopitalised immediately or I would face acute kidney failure.”
Lau spent four days in the hospital undergoing intravenous hydration therapy and was encouraged to drink a lot of water during the stay
Eventually, her creatinine kinase levels dropped, but she was still encouraged to stay hydrated and practise caution after discharge.
Through sharing her experience, Lau warned that rhabdomyolysis could happen to anyone and can result from any intense exercise, not just spinning.
“Beginners and newcomers to any sport should know their limits,” she said.
She reminded everyone to remember to hydrate after exercising and to seek a doctor immediately if anyone experienced similar symptoms as she did.