12 players from a lacrosse team have been diagnosed with a life-threatening condition following a workout led by a graduate of a Navy SEAL training program.
On Monday (September 16), around 50 team members from Tufts University men’s lacrosse participated in the voluntary, 45-minute workout session on campus, as reported by NBC Boston.
According to Patrick Collins, Tufts executive director of media relations, the session was conducted by a Tufts alum and recent graduate of the BUD/S Navy SEAL training program.
Per the outlet, Collins revealed that 12 members of the team have been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo), which is "a rare muscle injury where your muscles break down, which leads to muscle death," as cited by the Cleveland Clinic.
The medical outlet stated that when this happens, "toxic components of your muscle fibers enter your circulation system and kidneys," which can cause kidney damage.
The life-threatening muscle condition can result from "overexertion, trauma, medications or an underlying health condition," the publication added.
The only way to determine if you have it is through testing.
Collins disclosed that five of the student-athletes remain hospitalized after being diagnosed with the condition. He added that the number of confirmed cases and those in hospital could change.
"Our thoughts are with the players and their families, and we are hoping for their quick return to good health under the care of local medical experts," the executive director said in a statement issued to the public, per The New York Post.
"Meanwhile, we are closely monitoring the condition of the rest of the team and have postponed all team practice activities until each team member has been evaluated and medically cleared to return to participation," he added.
The university has selected an external, independent investigator to execute a thorough examination, "with a goal of taking any steps needed to support the safety of our student-athletes," per NBC Boston.
Tufts University, located in Medford and Somerville, has about 6,700 undergraduate students.
The university's men's lacrosse team won the 2024 NCAA Division III championship against Rochester Institute of Technology in May.
Dr. Shruti Gupta of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston shared his thoughts on the diagnosis to CBS News, stating: "It's very unusual to see that many people being hospitalized all at once with this condition, particularly young men who are presumably very physically fit."
The institution noted that they are unable to release more details until their investigation is complete.
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