\u201cI took a trip the week before to Georgia, and it was a lot of, like, hiking,\u201d Katenkamp tells PEOPLE, looking back on what seemed like a fun getaway before things spiraled. \u201cOn the last day, we did a hike with thousands of stairs, and then I drove 13 hours straight back to Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former college athlete wasted no time jumping back into her routine. \u201cAs soon as I got back, I did a leg workout at the gym,\u201d she says, noting that cramps didn\u2019t seem like a big deal at first.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got, like, really bad calf pain after that,\u201d she explains. \u201cMy feet locked into a pointed toe position, and I couldn\u2019t walk flat-footed. My calves were stuck like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assuming it was a standard athletic cramp, Katenkamp drank water, stretched, and went to bed. But by 5 a.m., the pain was excruciating, and her legs refused to move. \u201cI lived with a roommate at the time, but it was, like, five in the morning and I didn\u2019t want to wake her up,\u201d she says. \u201cSo I crawled to my car and drove myself to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/people-app.onelink.me\/HNIa\/kz7l4cuf<\/a><\/p>\n At the ER, her condition worsened. \u201cAs soon as I got in there, they ran over and put me in a wheelchair,\u00a0and that was it for about a week,\u201d she recalls. Throughout her hospital stay, walking was nearly impossible. \u201cIf I walked at all, someone had to hold me up because I couldn\u2019t move my calves,\u201d she says. \u201cThey just stopped working.\u201d<\/p>\n Doctors struggled to identify the cause of her symptoms. \u201cIt took them about three or four days to figure it out,\u201d Katenkamp notes. \u201cThe nurses would come in and just be Googling my symptoms \u2014 no one knew what it was.\u201d<\/p>\n Eventually, she received a diagnosis: rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that causes muscle fibers to break down and release toxins into the blood. \u201cIt\u2019s like the breakdown of your muscle to the point that it poisons your blood,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n Ella Katenkamp<\/p>\n Ella Katenkamp at the hospital<\/p>\n Katenkamp was shocked to learn her creatine kinase (CK) level, a marker of muscle breakdown,\u00a0was well above normal. \u201cYour CK level\u2019s not really supposed to be above 200, and when I got to the hospital, it was in the thousands,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Treatment involved flushing her system with fluids and monitoring her blood multiple times a day. \u201cThey had to take my blood like three times a day,\u201d she says. \u201cAfter two days, my CK level actually went up, which was really frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n By the time she was discharged, her CK level was still around 600\u2013700. \u201cI wasn\u2019t where I was supposed to be, but I was starting to walk again,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was just my legs.\u201d<\/p>\n Doctors attributed the onset to a combination of factors. \u201cThey told me it was probably from the Red Bulls I drank in Georgia, not enough water, my birth control and going from sitting for 13 hours straight into an intense leg workout,\u201d Katenkamp says.<\/p>\n The experience permanently changed her approach to fitness and health. \u201cI took a huge step back from energy drinks,\u201d she shares. \u201cI didn\u2019t touch them for a long time, and now I only drink them very moderately.\u201d<\/p>\n Once hyperactive with early-morning practices, classes and games, Katenkamp is now far more mindful. \u201cI drink so much more water now,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I definitely think about what days to go hard in the gym \u2014 like, was I sitting a lot the day before?\u201d<\/p>\n The condition was new to her and to many. \u201cI had no idea what it was,\u201d Katenkamp says. \u201cEven the doctors didn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n She posted about the ordeal on TikTok, with the text overlay, \u201cShe doesn\u2019t know it yet… but the next morning she was gonna crawl out of bed on all 4s and drive herself to the hospital at 6am to stay for the next week because her legs were paralyzed with rhabdomyolysis.\u201d<\/p>\n While some followers offered support, others jumped to conclusions. But for Katenkamp, it was a moment that turned criticism into community. \u201cI didn\u2019t even really have to defend myself,\u201d she says. \u201cOther people did it for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Many shared their own experiences or those of loved ones. \u201cA lot of people said they\u2019d been through something similar and knew how painful it was,\u201d she says. \u201cThere were tons of comments wishing me a good recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back, she says the condition was more than just muscle cramps. \u201cMy legs weren\u2019t even the same size when I left the hospital,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a process,\u00a0but luckily, I\u2019m past it now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ella Katenkamp<\/p>\n Ella Katenkamp at the hospital<\/p>\n Still, the risk of lasting damage was real. \u201cThey say it can ruin your kidneys,\u201d Katenkamp says. \u201cLuckily, I didn\u2019t get to that point, but if I hadn\u2019t gone to the hospital, it could have destroyed my organs.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s why her message is firm. \u201cIt\u2019s more than just cramps,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople kept saying, \u2018Push through it,\u2019 but I couldn\u2019t have done that \u2014 I had to go to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n Two years later, Katenkamp\u2019s advice to others in recovery is simple and compassionate. \u201cMake sure you\u2019re taking care of yourself and read your body,\u201d she says. \u201cKeep up with your water, stretch and don\u2019t overdo it.\u201d<\/p>\n She encourages anyone experiencing similar symptoms to investigate all possibilities. \u201cFollow the steps your doctors give you,\u201d Katenkamp adds. \u201cIt can definitely come back.\u201d<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/p>\n If she could tell social media users one thing, it\u2019s this: don\u2019t pretend to be an expert. \u201cYou never know what\u2019s going on,\u201d she says. \u201cThere were over 20 different comments guessing the cause. It\u2019s different for every person.\u201d<\/p>\n Katenkamp says she understands the appeal of quick judgments, especially online. But she hopes her story shows why empathy matters. \u201cDon\u2019t speak on other people\u2019s health,\u201d she says. \u201cIf there\u2019s one thing I learned, it\u2019s that you really don\u2019t know what someone\u2019s going through.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the original article on People<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Ella](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/f61708be6b36586da650db5500dfec76.jpeg\"\/)
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