How It Can Be Triggered By Exercise

On TikTok, women have shared their experiences of rhabdo, thinking it was just DOMS after a workout only to find the pain becoming aggressively worse. These stories are scary and can often lead to misinformation being shared online, so it’s worth understanding more about the condition. Dr Babak Ashrafi from Superdrug Online Doctor, an online GP, says that rhabdo “occurs when your muscle fibres break down rapidly and release their contents into the bloodstream. This means that substances normally contained within the muscle cells — such as proteins (like myoglobin) and electrolytes — spill out and enter the bloodstream. It can lead to really serious health issues such as kidney damage if not managed.” There are various possible causes of rhabdo (like trauma from severe injuries and medication) and many of us aren’t aware that exercise is one.