Woman, 24, left battling fatal ‘muscle death’ condition triggered by her first ever spin class
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'Awareness regarding warm-ups and cool-downs should be given to all beginners involved in indoor spinning,' the doctors said
- Isabel Shaw, Health reporter
A WOMAN landed in intensive care with a fatal condition triggered by pushing herself too much during her first spin class.
The 24-year-old had rhabdomyolysis, which is when overworked muscles die, break down and leak toxins into the blood.
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These toxins can damage the kidneys and cause them to stop working, which can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Spinning is a high-intensity indoor cycling workout that targets the large muscles in the thighs and glutes.
It’s hugely popular for its fast calorie burn and endurance boost, but the intense effort can sometimes push beginners too far, medics describing the case in Cureus warned.
They said that young women, especially those with high BMIs have "adequate" energy and "muscle bulk" - like the woman in the case report - to do spinning.
"This endurance and some over-enthusiasm can lead them to spin for prolonged durations at varying intensities," they wrote.
"Combined with dehydration, lack of fitness and the muscle mass of the quadriceps make them more prone to rhabdomyolysis after their first spinning session," they added.
Just two days after the class, the unnamed woman was unable to walk upstairs as her thighs throbbed.
But her pain was unusually severe, and when her pee turned from clear to brown, she knew something was seriously wrong.
She went to hospital where tests showed her creatine kinase levels, a marker of muscle damage, were more than 50 times the normal limit.
Tests and scans revealed that muscle cells in her thighs had ruptured, releasing harmful substances like myoglobin into her bloodstream putting severe strain on her kidneys.
Doctors immediately started her on IV fluids to flush the toxins from her system and closely monitored her kidney function to prevent failure.
After five days of intensive treatment, her muscle enzyme levels finally dropped, and her kidney function began to improve.
She was eventually discharged and made a full recovery - but doctors warn that pushing too hard in a first spin class can trigger this rare, life-threatening condition.
"We recommend gradual, low-intensity training or periodic training with adequate hydration and replenishing the fluid loss for all young women engaging in indoor cycling for weight reduction in the early phases of their fitness program," they wrote.
"Awareness regarding warm-ups and cool-downs should be given to all beginners involved in indoor spinning," they added.
Rhabdomyolysis, called rhabdo for short, happens when muscles are pushed too hard and start to die and break down, releasing toxins into the bloodstream.
These toxins can seriously damage your kidneys and even cause kidney failure if untreated.
Common causes:
- Intense exercise (like spin classes or heavy lifting)
- Muscle injury or trauma
- Certain medications or infections
Symptoms:
- Severe muscle pain and weakness
- Swelling and stiffness
- Dark or brown urine (a key warning sign)
- Fatigue and fever
Why it’s dangerous:The toxins released can overload the kidneys, which filter your blood, leading to kidney damage or failure.
Treatment:Early hospital care with IV fluids helps flush toxins and protect kidney function. Most people recover fully with prompt treatment.
If you experience severe muscle pain after exercise and notice dark urine, get medical help fast.
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