A woman in Zhejiang, China, was at death’s door after exercising with a weighted hula hoop not long after having a meal, which led to massive internal bleeding.
Doctors who attended to her discovered that her spleen was completely destroyed and had to remove it in order to save her life.
Exercised after meal
According to Sin Chew Daily, the 28-year-old woman named Wang exercised with a weighted hula hoop over the course of 30 minutes after eating.
Not long after, she experienced severe pain in the upper left side of her abdomen. But she brushed it off thinking it was an aftereffect of her workout or indigestion.
However, the pain didn’t subside for hours and Wang began to feel dizzy, prompting her family to call for an ambulance and rush her to the hospital.
What doctors found
When Wang arrived at the hospital, her face had already turned pale and her lips turned into a shade of purple.
Following an examination, doctors found that her blood pressure had dropped to just 80/50 mmHg, indicating the early stages of haemorrhagic shock caused by blood loss.
An ultrasound examination revealed that over 1,000ml of blood had accumulated in Wang’s abdominal cavity.
During surgery, the lead surgeon found that Wang’s spleen had ruptured and was to blame for the internal bleeding.
The organ was eventually removed, saving Wang’s life as a result.
Not an isolated case
The surgeon revealed Wang’s case isn’t an isolated one as the hospital had also treated three patients with similar circumstances.
He explained that the spleen is one of the body’s most fragile internal organs and is filled with blood vessels. It also has a soft tissue structure, leading it to be likened to “silken tofu.”
“After a meal, the stomach expands and abdominal pressure increases, causing the spleen to become congested with blood. Repeated impact to the upper left abdomen from a weighted hula hoop can easily damage or rupture the spleen.
“If a hula hoop is to be used, its weight should ideally be below 1kg, and each session should not exceed 15 minutes. Exercise should also be avoided until at least two hours after eating,” he said.
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