Tilak Varma, the young and talented cricketer, who played a match-winning innings in Asia Cup final, recently shared his battle with a life-threatening health issue rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that causes muscle death and eventually kidney failure.
The 22-year-old cricketer reflected on his health condition in a recent episode of Breakfast of Champions with Gaurav Kapur. Looking back he said he may not have given his body sufficient rest and pushed himself even on rest days, which could have led to overstraining of muscles.
“I haven’t opened up about this to anyone. After my first IPL, I had some health problems. I wanted to be fit. These things have not come out. I was diagnosed with something called Rhabdomyolysis, in which muscle breakdowns happen. I had in me that I wanted to be in the Test team, was playing domestic cricket, A series, a camp was going on,” said Tilak.
The dramatic health scare that shocked the cricketer
Talking about the 2022 health scare in detail, the left-handed batsman recalled the scary moment while playing the A series in Bangladesh that left him shocked and retired hurt. He was vying for a century but all of a sudden his eyes started tearing up and his fingers stopped working. The cricketer shared that his gloves had to be cut off to free his fingers.
“I was playing the A series in Bangladesh. I had pushed myself for a hundred, but suddenly my eyes started tearing up and my fingers stopped working. Everything became so hard, it felt like a stone. I had to retire hurt, gloves had to be cut off because my fingers weren’t moving,” said Tilak.
What is Rhabdomyolysis? Common signs and symptoms to know
According to Cleveland Clinic, Rhabdomyolysis is a dangerous muscle condition and can stem from overexertion, trauma or underlying health condition. Common signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include weak muscles, muscle stiffness, muscle pain and a change in pee color.
The condition could lead to breakdown or disintegration of muscle and what could make it fatal is the entry of toxic components of your muscle fibres in your circulation system and kidneys. This could cause kidney failure, a life-threatening condition.
The potential cause behind Tilak’s condition
Injury or trauma, high intensity exercise, severe dehydration, or certain medications can trigger the condition. In the case of Tilak, the condition may have stemmed from straining his muscles too hard.
“Even on rest days, I was in the gym. I wanted to be the fittest player in the world and an excellent fielder, so I wasn’t quite focusing on recovery. I was taking ice baths, but I was not giving my body the proper time to recover. I was pushing myself even on rest days. So, the muscle was overstrained and it broke down. The nerves became quite hard,” he said.
What leads to kidney failure in rhabdomyolysis?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, muscle components like potassium, phosphate, myoglobin, creatine kinase (CK), urate are released in large amounts and leak into your circulation system. While kidneys usually filter these components and get rid of them through urine, these muscle components released in large quantities can damage your kidneys. It is because if the kidneys can’t get rid of your body’s waste fast enough, kidney failure can occur which can be life-threatening.
Extremely sore or weak muscles a few days after workout must not be ignored as it may indicate rhabdomyolysis. Another telltale sign is swelling of the muscle and colour of your urine turning dark.
Disclaimer: Always consult a doctor before starting any diet or fitness routine. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.