What should you know about dark urine and rhabdomyolysis?

Rhabdomyolysis can follow unusually hard exercise, a crush injury, prolonged immobility, heat exposure, seizures, infection, or a medicine-related reaction. Damaged muscle releases proteins and other substances that may make urine look tea-coloured or cola-coloured. Muscle pain, swelling, tenderness, weakness, and reduced urine can occur, but not everyone has every feature. This is different from ordinary muscle soreness after exercise, which usually settles with rest and does not cause marked urine changes.

Seek urgent medical assessment rather than exercising through the symptoms. Stop strenuous activity, avoid alcohol and unapproved supplements, and tell the clinician about recent exertion, injury, heat exposure, illnesses, and medicines. Do not force large amounts of fluid if you have a heart or kidney condition or have been given fluid restrictions. Assessment may include urine and blood tests, and treatment is guided by kidney function, hydration, and the severity of muscle injury.

Go to emergency care for dark urine with muscle weakness, severe swelling, very little urine, faintness, confusion, breathing difficulty, or rapidly increasing pain. After intense exercise, dark urine is not a normal recovery sign. Prompt care matters because kidney problems and changes in body salts can develop even when the initial symptoms seem manageable.

Ask which tests will check muscle injury, kidney function, and body salts. Explain the timing of exercise or injury and every medicine or supplement you use. Ask what activity and fluid plan is safe during recovery, which urine or muscle changes require return to emergency care, and how follow-up will be arranged.