Yahoo Finance TikToker issues warning about ultra-popular exercise class after it nearly killed her: 'In the hospital for a week'
Spin classes have been all the rage for a while now, but don’t let that popularity distract you from potential danger.
TikToker @kofranco_, whose name is Kaelyn, shared a post in which she claimed she got a deadly condition after taking a single class.
Kaelyn said that rhabdomyolysis, a relatively rare muscle injury that releases proteins into the blood and can damage the heart and kidneys, nearly killed her. She was "in the hospital for a week.”
According to medical experts from Cleveland Clinic, there are roughly 26,000 cases of “rhabdo” every year.
“Not me thinking I gained muscle during a spin class,” she captioned a photo of what appears to be defined leg muscle. “Not me almost losing my leg and my life the next day.”
The video attracted 4.3 million views and hundreds of terrified comments.
“Spin class was sent straight from the devil,” one user wrote.
“Spin classes are brutal. I thought I had a hernia from one,” another said.
Many shared similar experiences that either they or their loved ones endured.
“Spin class did the same to me! I was in the hospital nearly a week. Keep in mind the class was labeled a ‘beginners’ class,” one said.
“Peep the video of my fiancé in the hospital from rhabdo from a personal trainer workout. Never knew exercise could kill,” another wrote.
“My aunt was hospitalized five days due to rhabdo from a spin class. The amount of people saying this happened to them is WILD,” a third commented.
In a follow-up video, Kaelyn explained how intense the spin class workout was. It was her first time in this particular class, but she said she loves biking and working out in general.
“You are fueled by high-intensity workout music. The lights are dim, and everything is just high intensity,” Kaelyn said. “Spin classes also target a specific group of muscles, so you pretty much work out your legs the entire time.”
Kaelyn told In The Know that first-time spin class attendees should simply “take it at [their] own pace, despite what anyone else says or is doing during the class.”
“You should always listen to your body and know when enough is enough, even if your adrenaline and the intensity is high,” she said. “I’m not advising people to stay away from spin but rather encouraging people to take the class with ease, especially if it’s your first time … I wish I had known about the potential dangers that could come with it.”
Kaelyn added that instructors should try their best to introduce beginners to the class, no matter how fit they are.
According to a 2018 story from Insider, doctors reported an increasing number of people leaving spin classes with rhabdomyolysis.
The article cited a study published in the American Journal of Medicine, at least 46 people reported cases of rhabdo after spin class — and in 42 of those cases, it happened after the very first class.
Kaelyn told In The Know that since the incident, she’s still in a lot of pain and unable to walk on her own.
“Although still not where I need or want to be, I’m grateful and proud of the progress I’ve made this far! It’s been super encouraging to talk to others and listen to their experiences, and in turn that has been helping me confirm that things will get better for me,” she said.
To support Kaelyn’s recovery, donate to her GoFundMe here.
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