A little bit of pain is expected after a good workout, especially if you’ve been inactive for a couple of days or if the routine you followed was particularly taxing on a set of muscles. Working out causes your muscles to tear, a normal process that leads to some pain and inflammation since your body is fixing itself and growing stronger. But if your pain continues to increase and your muscles keep on swelling, this could be a sign of something much more dangerous.
Rhabdomyolisis is a serious condition that can affect your kidneys and the overall health of your body, making your muscles swell and grow stiff. The disease degrades your muscles, contaminating your bloodstream with waste. While working out is mostly a good thing, overdoing it can lead to the overproduction of myoglobin and enzymes that can build up and become really hard to process for your kidneys and liver.
-
Related Story: Training For A 10K? Check Out These 5 Apps
Luckily, there’s a small chance you’ll get confused between regular workout pains and “Rhabdo” disease. Symptoms of rhadomyolisis include extremely painful muscles that grow stiff and become really hard to move. The excess of myoglobin produced by the disease can also lead to a very dark urine color.
Statistics on Rhabdo and its frequency are conflicting. While some people think that it’s an extremely rare disease, others believe that it’s actually on the rise. It’s important to visit a doctor as soon as possible if you think you’re showing symptoms of it, and to moderate your workouts to a rational and manageable degree. Instead of pushing yourself to the limit in just one go, work hard over time, training your body to be as efficient as possible in the long run.
