Pushing the limits.
We all know exercise is good for our bodies, but it’s also important to respect our own limits. When our muscles are not used to heavy exertion, it’s best to up the difficulty level gradually. Otherwise, we might end up in a nightmare situation like the one Casey Daniel experienced.
Casey, from Los Angeles, was eager to give spin class a try. These exercise classes are famous for the amount of calories they help you burn in a short time and they’re supposed to be very good for weight loss. Casey got on the bike and gave it her all during the hour-long exhausting session.
Tired from the class, she went home and fell asleep. But then next day… “I woke up and just felt like I had been hit by a bus,” she remembers. “I had some unusual bruising that was starting to happen above my knees.” She was in unbearable pain — unable to walk or move her legs at all, she was rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a strange condition caused by severe muscle injuries.
Casey’s muscle fibers had been severely damaged, and she needed three surgeries to repair the muscles in her thighs. Doctors had to make large incisions in her legs to save her mobility. The cause? Overloading the body with exercise.
Recalling the day after class leaves Casey in tears, “I can’t express how terrifying it is to not be able to walk and to be in that much pain,” she says. She still needs intensive physical therapy three times a week as part of her recovery and to help with her walking. In a further stroke of bad luck, Casey also lost her job as a nurse at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to the length of time she had to be hospitalized.
Casey is not the only person to suffer serious leg injuries as a result of a spin class. Others have also been affected by rhabdomyolysis in their eagerness to get in shape during the first exercise session. Professionals advise people to approach the coach if they have any doubts, are feeling the strain, and to always let them know if they are attending a class for the first time. They can help you get set up correctly, give advice on how to train, and how much to demand from your body.
Casey now has a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for her medical expenses. Her sad story shows us that, while we do need to work out, it has to be within what our bodies allow us. We must always pay attention to the signs that tell us to stop and rest. Forcing ourselves to try to do too much in the short term is dangerous. Sometimes, the safest path is also the most effective.
You can see more about Casey in the video below:
