Friday 110909

"Nicole" 

As many rounds as possible in 20:00 minutes of:

Run 400m
Max reps pull-ups 

Post rounds and reps to comments.

Adam Milson, sporting a dashing beard and enjoying a heavy thruster.

Rhabdomyolysis

Hopefully you're somewhat familiar with this medical condition.  Dr. Michael Ray of CrossFit Flagstaff, AZ states "Rhabdomyolysis is a medical condition that may arise when muscle tissue breaks down and muscle cells are released into the bloodstream."  The destruction of these cells cause a release of breakdown products, one of which is myoglobin - a  protein molecule that is harmful to the kidneys and can cause acute renal failure and even death.

There are two key points that we'd like for you to understand: what causes rhabdo and what the symptoms of rhabdo are.  First, if you understand the causes of this condition, you can avoid having it. Rhabdo is physically caused by crushing injuries, obstruction of blood supply to muscles, electrical injuries, and yes... exercise.  Typically, cases of rhabdo that are related to exercise are attributed to infrequent exposure to high intensity output coupled with poor hydration.  In other words, an athlete coming from a globo-gym with a moderate level of fitness that has their first exposure to CrossFit. 

So how do you recognize rhabdo?  There are a couple of tell-tale symptoms to be aware of when self-diagnosing possible rhabdomyolysis.  Dr. Michael Ray describes symptoms as "generalized muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramping, and in significant cases, dark red Coca Cola urine."  That last bit is an instant ticket to the ER - don't mess around - GO!  Though, we've all felt many of these symptoms and toughed it out, the extreme cases are the one's that result in renal failure and can be fatal.

How do you avoid rhabdo?  First, stay adequately hydrated for intense exercise.  At a minimum, you should be drinking 64 ounces of water a day.  Second, know your limits!  If you haven't been coming in to the gym regularly, a workout like today's could be a recipe for disaster.  Notify your trainer of your infrequent attendance and they'll set you up with an appropriate modification for the workout.  Lastly, don't choose a band that makes pull-ups easy.  By doing so, you're overcoming your body's natural safety mechanism, which causes you to fail and get off the bar.  Use a band that offers a tough challenge.

Read more in the recent CFJ article: "The Truth About Rhabdo" by Dr. Michael Ray

Comments

[Stu]

yeah super important to have plenty of water before a session then also keep a sports drink or water with you throughout a session to make sure you are hydrated

[Joylyn]

Great pic Adam!

[Adam]

who is that dashing young man!

[David S]

82 Reps