Are You Overdoing It At The Gym!

Pushing It in the gym is one thing, but go too far and you could suffer a potentially lifethreatening condition

You’ve certainly heard the expression “no pain, no gain,” but there’s such a thing as pushing it too hard in your workouts. And the consequences can go far beyond sore muscles and fatigue. Athletes who overexert themselves to an extreme point can develop a condition called rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle tissue that can lead to kidney failure, heart damage, and even death. Although relatively rare, rhabdo affects approximately 26,000 people in the United States each year. Athletes who do high-intensity or extreme endurance workouts are often among those who feel the effects of rhabdo.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

High-endurance activities involving heavy lifting can increase the risk of rhabdo, as can other forms of over– exertion or trauma. But while CrossFit is sometimes blamed for causing rhabdo, research shows CrossFitters are no more likely to develop it than powerlifters, gymnasts, or rugby players.

Any intense exercise puts a strain on muscles. When that strain exceeds what you can handle, your muscle fibers may tear open, spilling a protein called myoglobin that would normally transport oxygen to your muscle cells into the bloodstream. As a result of this spillage, the torn muscle can rapidly deteriorate, while the kidneys can become overwhelmed by rising myoglobin in the blood.