The Washington Post reports on rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo), a rare put potentially fatal condition that can be caused by muscle injury, and includes guidance from David A. Wang, MD, sports medicine physician at HSS.

Rhabdo results from overexertion typically brought on by repetitive, unfamiliar movement that stresses muscle cells to the point at which they essentially burst and die.

When it comes to exercising, “’No pain, no gain’ is not anything you should follow,” said Dr. Wang.

Dr. Wang recommended easing into a pre-pandemic fitness routine. He explained, “It takes weeks and months to build up strength, and if you’re inactive for even just a week or two you lose all that strength and have to build it slowly back up again, so you’re not going to do what you were able to do a year ago or six months ago before the gyms closed.” It’s “the perfect setup to develop injuries, including rhabdo,” he added.

Read the full article at Washingtonpost.com.