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Soulcycle and rhabdo

Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,557 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Check out this article:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/26/health/rhabdomyolysis-spin-class-explainer/index.html

A few people have gotten rhabdo from a single Soulcycle class! I tried that class and hated it, mostly because they do all the pedaling out of the seat, which is not what cyclists do.

I have to say, if I were to be susceptible to rhabdo, I would have gotten it from my recent all-day hike!

Replies

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Interesting, thanks for the post.

    I've never heard of this condition before. Never been to a spin class but I pray hard regularly on a bike, outdoors.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    The spin classes I attend in the foul weather winter months are definitely not all done from the seat. There are many hill climbs that require some serious out-of-the-seat crank-for-all-you've-got periods.

    ALSO - The article said he went to his FIRST SoulCycle class. So he had to be definitely out of shape (at least for cycling) and got his butt kicked by overdoing it. I doubt he had anything more than serious DOMs because he overdid it.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I go to spin classes.
    I love it.
    The actual report that spurred these media articles described three cases of rhabdo and spin. Three cases? Out of how many people do spin and Soulcycle classes every single day?
    Sounds like something to be aware of. But not a huge problem.
  • MilesAddie
    MilesAddie Posts: 166 Member
    A great many, but by no means all, cases of fitness related Rhabdo are not caused by someone attending their first SoulCycle, CrossFit, <insert name of whatever-workout-you-dont-like-here>, but by already very fit men and women, usually competitive athletes, returning to a high volume of training after a period of time off, known as detraining. In these cases, the athletes or their coaches assume they can return to doing the same volume of work at the same intensity when they temporarily stopped a few weeks before.

    Some examples:
    - 2017 - 3 Oregon football players developed Rhabdo during workouts after holiday break. Conditioning coach suspended.
    - 2011 - 13 Iowa Football players developed rhabdo during workouts following short break between end of fall football and winter conditioning program. Resulted in the NCAA issuing new guidelines concerning Rhabdo to all schools.
    - 2016 - 8 Texan Women's University volleyball players developed rhabdo following a short recess between conditioning seasons.

    But yes, as others have said, it can and does occur in other circumstances. Good coaches and trainers, but more importantly, know when you need stop.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,557 Member
    Soul cycle is not what cyclists consider a spinning class. It's almost all done off the seat and includes a number of non-cycling manovers, such as push-up on the bike and such. I am a good cyclist and still found it very hard. You don't ride your bike around for an hour without a seat, after all.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    I doubt he had anything more than serious DOMs because he overdid it.

    He was admitted to the hospital. What basis do you have for thinking every doctor who treated him is a buffoon?
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,557 Member
    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    I doubt he had anything more than serious DOMs because he overdid it.

    There are clear signs of rhabdo, including swelling, flu-like symptoms including fever, and stiff joints. It's probably hard to know when to go to the ER, but once there, they can check your CPK levels and then they know for sure. If it's very bad, they have to put you on dialysis.

    Although it's a rare condition, I think it's good to know the signs of rhabdo. It sounds like it doesn't hit out-of-shape people, perhaps because they can't push themselves that hard. It's more likely to hit fairly fit people in unusual situations where they've taken some time off and then overdo it. My reaction is that it could happen to any weekend warrior, including me.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    I doubt he had anything more than serious DOMs because he overdid it.

    He was admitted to the hospital. What basis do you have for thinking every doctor who treated him is a buffoon?

    Here is another article claiming a few newcomers to HIIT and basic training getting symptoms of rhabdo. Again - it is all about newcomers overdoing it. While the symptoms are real, the article clearly states it only affects a small number of people.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/hiit-fitness-scenes-biggest-fad-harm-good/

    BTW - I never called anyone a buffoon - that is all on you.

  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Wow. I'm taking spin three times a week for 5 years now. I've never heard of that!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Tweaking_Time wrote: »

    BTW - I never called anyone a buffoon - that is all on you.

    The hospital examined the guy, ran a bunch of tests, admitted him, put him on dialysis... Without seeing the guy, you said you believe the hospital was wrong in their diagnosis, that he only had sore muscles. That would require gross incompetence. I'm still wondering what basis you have for believing it's true.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Tweaking_Time wrote: »

    BTW - I never called anyone a buffoon - that is all on you.
    Without seeing the guy, you said you believe the hospital was wrong in their diagnosis, that he only had sore muscles. That would require gross incompetence. I'm still wondering what basis you have for believing it's true.

    Reread my post - I said nothing of the sort. I said that I thought it was DOM's - which, upon hindsight, is incorrect.


  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    While clinical rhabdo is rare, a bad case of DOMS could be considered a mild form of rhabdo, since it too involves elevated markers of muscle damage - increased creatine kinase and myoglobin. It's actually pretty common for creatine kinase to rise into the "rhabdo zone" after hard workouts.. just not high enough to harm the kidneys. :+1:

    eptvsga.jpg

  • JLASilver
    JLASilver Posts: 22 Member
    I love Soul Cycle. I do it twice a week. I was seriously out of shape when I started and I didn't have any adverse reactions. I also had great instruction and coaching from someone who knew what they were doing. I went to quite a few classes where the instructors didn't correct form, I went back to one who builds his class and ensures no one is injured but challenges all levels.
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