A 29-year-old professional classical dancer went in for surgery on a broken wrist and ended up in intensive care with his muscles breaking down. Blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, an enzyme that leaks out of damaged muscle, peaked at 36,429 units per liter. His urine turned dark.
When doctors in Sri Lanka looked for an explanation, one possible contributor stood out from the usual hospital suspects: recent, prolonged use of a heated massage bed.
