A fitness fanatic has warned of the dangers of failing to drink enough water during workouts after she was struck down with a life-threatening condition triggered by a karate class.
Gemma Underwood, 41, from South Ayrshire, struggled through an ‘intense’ session in March that left her feeling unusually sore.
The following day, however, her upper body was in so much pain she struggled to get out of bed.
The orange-belt athlete said her arms ballooned as the muscles were so tight.
After using the toilet she realised something was seriously awry – her urine was so dark it resembled the colour of ‘Coca Cola’.
It was then that the mental health worker rushed to her local A&E, where doctors performed tests and diagnosed her with deadly rhabdomyolysis.
The condition develops when damage to the muscles causes the fibres to break down and release toxic substances – which build-up in the bloodstream and kidneys.
This can quickly lead to kidney failure, as well as dangerous heart rhythms that can prove deadly.
Gemma Underwood has warned others to not do intensive exercise without drinking enough water
Dehydration is a known risk factor for the condition, as sufficient water both protects the muscles from significant damage and helps flush broken fibres and toxins out of the body.
Treatment for the condition involves receiving fluids and salts intravenously (through a vein) in hospital to flush toxins from the system.
In severe cases, when patients develop kidney damage, dialysis – where a machine manually filters toxins from the blood – may be needed.
‘It’s something that can happen to anyone,’ warned Ms Underwood.
‘Doctors said I wasn’t hydrated enough while doing an intense workout. I should have been drinking more water before.
‘I was very scared knowing I could have died. Make sure you’re hydrated before any workout, it doesn’t matter how intense it is.’
She stayed in hospital for five days where she was put on IV fluid and had a catheter fitted.
Now home, she is resting and drinking plenty of fluids as recovery can take months, depending on complications.
She was forced to remain in hospital for five days, where doctors flushed toxins out of her system with IV fluids
TikTok user Savanna Stebbins shared the terrifying moment she was rushed to an emergency room during a spin class while suffering the same condition
Despite being out of danger, her muscles are still sore and the experience has left her feeling weak and exhausted.
‘I’m very drained,’ she said. ‘They said treatment can take a few weeks or a few months depending on complications.
‘I am currently resting, no exercise at all for at least three weeks, and drinking plenty of fluids.
‘It’s really important to know the symptoms, which are muscle pain and weakness, and dark urine.’
Ms Underwood follows the case of a 20 year-old Russian man who developed kidney failure triggered by rhabdomyolysis after completing a 2,000 squat challenge.
The unidentified fitness fan was confident he could complete the mammoth task in a single session.
But before he finished, his legs began to rapidly increase in size, triggering excruciating pain.
After his symptoms worsened he rushed to emergency care where medics discovered he had rhabdomyolysis.
Tests also showed his kidneys were only functioning at 50 per cent, according to a report released by medics at the Vladivostok Clinical Hospital earlier this year.
Doctors were able to treat the acute kidney failure without dialysis, but his organs are still underperfoming.
The 20-year old now faces up to a year of rehabilitation, the doctors said.
While there are no reliable UK figures about the prevelance of the condition, rhabdomyolysis is thought to affect about 26,000 people in the US every year.
