On October 19, the young man went to a gym in Hoang Mai district (Hanoi) and started exercising on the treadmill. After 9 minutes, he showed signs of fatigue and stopped the machine to rest. Then, he suddenly collapsed on the floor.
Gym staff, including a first aid-trained trainer, attempted first aid and CPR, but the man ultimately died.
Previously, in Phu Tho province, after working out at the gym, an 18-year-old man had to go to the hospital for surgery because his spinal cord was compressed, with the risk of paralysis of both legs. At the hospital, the results of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed that the thoracic spine had a hematoma compressing the spinal cord at the D3D4 level. After that, the patient was consulted and had surgery to open the posterior arch of the D3D4 vertebra to decompress and fix the spine.
Doctor La Quang Thinh - Deputy Head of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hung Vuong General Hospital, who directly performed the surgery on the patient - said: "This is a rare case. The patient may have suffered an injury due to overexertion and incorrect posture while exercising at the gym. Fortunately, the patient came to the hospital early and received timely surgery. When the spinal cord is compressed, the patient is at risk of paralysis of the lower limbs and will have to use a wheelchair for life."
Tam Anh General Hospital also received the case of a 21-year-old girl who had to undergo spinal surgery because of incorrect gym training. With the desire to have a healthier body, the girl chose to practice all types of exercises (full body) from weight lifting to weight-related exercises such as Barbell Squat, Goblet Squat, One-Arm Dumbbell Row.
After a period of not exercising due to studying for exams, the girl gained weight rapidly, reaching over 70 kg. In her eagerness to lose weight quickly, the girl overtrained, causing pain in her lower back, numbness down to her buttocks, and right leg. After that, the girl had to have spinal surgery.
Dr. Dang Bao Ngoc - Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Center, Tam Anh General Hospital - said that exercising in general and going to the gym in particular helps each person have a healthy body, a refreshing spirit, and stable weight. However, recently, many people have come to the clinic because of back pain, slipped vertebrae, herniated discs due to incorrect posture and incorrect way of doing gym, yoga...
Exercise is very good for health. But if we do not ensure safe exercise, do not check, screen, and thoroughly treat previous injuries and underlying diseases, it can cause injuries, acute cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, even myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, high blood pressure, cerebral hemorrhage...
Regarding the risk of sudden death when exercising at the gym, it can be due to a number of reasons such as hypoglycemia, large oxygen debt, especially exercising when hungry; strenuous exercise; too much exercise, sudden increase causing sympathetic nervous system enhancement, metabolic acidosis, oxygen debt increases heart rate, lungs... In the process of handling a victim of fainting at the gym, not handling it properly, not having medical staff or experts makes the condition worse, leading to sudden death, circulatory arrest.
