The trainings are great, but what happens when your commitment to fit your body beyond its limitation? It can even be fatal. For 41-year-old fitness enthusiasts from Scotland with an orange belt in karate, what began as an intensive session soon occurred in an emergency, most gymnastics are not aware.
After an intensive karate session in March, Gemma Underwood was unable to get out of bed, her shoulders balloled, and her muscles were painfully swollen and tight. A real alarm appeared when traveling to the bathroom, when she noticed that her urine changed the dark brown shade, reminding “Coca-Cola”.
Realizing that something was really wrong, she threw herself at an ambulance, where doctors diagnosed her with rabdomiolism, a rare but serious condition covering the collapse and death of muscle tissue.
Rabdomoliza or “rhabdo” occurs when the muscles worked begin to fall apart, releasing toxic proteins into the bloodstream, which can lead to kidney failure and even death. This condition can affect anyone, and the signs of early warning often include muscle swelling, weakness and pain.
One of the most eloquent symptoms is dark colorful urine, which may seem brown, red or tea.
While the symptoms usually develop from one to three days after intense load or muscle injury, some people may not notice any obvious pain. In more difficult cases, Rhabdo can cause dehydration, reduced urination, nausea and even loss of consciousness.
In the case of Underwood, the muscle breakdown caused a lack of hydration.
“The doctors said that I am not irritated enough during intensive training. I should have been drinking more water before,” Underwood he said Dailymail. She was hospitalized for five days, served liquids and equipped with a catheter to help her recover.
“I am currently resting, I do not exercise for at least three weeks and drink a lot of liquids,” she said.
Recovering after terrifying experience, Underwood now warns others so that they do not exaggerate with exercises, especially without proper rest, hydration and awareness of their body boundaries.
“It can happen to anyone. I was very scared, knowing that I could die. Make sure you are hydrated before any training, it doesn’t matter how intense it is,” she warned.