In long-distance endurance athletes, trace gastrointestinal bleeding and plasma volume expansion are sources of mild anemia (often called ‘runner’s pseudoanemia’). However, repetitive forceful foot striking can lead to blood cell lysis in the feet, resulting in a mild macrocytic anemia and intravascular hemolysis. A macrocytic class of anemia is an anemia (defined as blood with an insufficient concentration of hemoglobin) in which the red blood cells (erythrocytes) are larger than their normal volume. Hemolysis is the abnormal breakdown of red blood cells, either in the blood vessels (intravascular hemolysis) or elsewhere in the human body (extravascular).
I recently read about Christopher Pokrana, age 41, who was told that his repetitive forceful foot striking was to blame for his hemolysis... the destruction of red blood cells. According to a medical case report, this then led to mild anemia because of the rapid obliteration of his blood cells.
Mr. Pokrana followed all advice including changing his running shoes every 500 miles -- as guidelines recommend. However, he had embarked on an intense training regimen, logging as much as between 50 to 100 miles in his individual training runs.
His condition intrigued doctors in Virginia and was recently published in the BMJ Case Reports -- a prestigious journal for medical tales. Mr. Pokrana's physicians stated that his intravascular hemolysis was most likely due to repetitive foot striking associated with his long-distance running. Without treatment, anemia can be life-threatening.
Mr. Pokrana continues to run long distances.
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
