Traumatic/Exertional/Footstrike Haemolysis/Athlete’s anaemia

Traumatic/Exertional/Footstrike Haemolysis/Athlete’s anaemia

‘Bursting’ of red blood cells – thought to be due to foot strike impact in runners, but now has been shown to happen in distance swimmers after period of intense exercise. Anaemia is due to plasma volume expansion. Can result in increased fatigue.

Diagnostic triad:
1) Increased mean red blood cell volume (MCV)
2) Increased reticulocyte count
3) Decreased haptoglobin levels

Most cases mild  no treatment is usually needed and it is often well tolerated by runners.

http://jap.physiology.org/content/94/1/38
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26618486?dopt=Abstract

External Links:
Prolonged running + intravascular haemolysis (Podiatry Arena)