Five members of the Tufts University men's lacrosse team remain hospitalized following a challenging workout session conducted on campus. The session was led by a Tufts alum who is also a recent graduate of the BUD/S Navy SEAL training program. According to a statement obtained by NBC Boston, around 50 team members participated in the "voluntary, 45-minute workout," which has since resulted in 12 players being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo, a condition defined by the CDC as potentially leading to permanent disability or even death.
Patrick Collins, the executive director of media relations at Tufts, highlighted the severity of the condition, stating, "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," in a statement reported by Boston 25 News. Collins revealed that the condition occurs when "muscle breaks down, often from overexertion, and releases its contents into the bloodstream," as noted by NBC Boston.
The session leading up to the hospitalization of the student athletes sparked a response from the university, with Tufts appointing an external and independent investigator to conduct a thorough review of the incident—this being part of a possible move to better ensure the safety of their student athletes. As per WCVB, the workout was described as "voluntary, supervised," yet it still resulted in the concerning diagnosis, raising questions about workout intensity and oversight.
In light of the situation, the university has opted to temporarily postpone all team practice activities. Collins emphasized the importance of this measure, stating, "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," as mentioned by WCVB. As the investigation continues, further details are expected to emerge about the workout and any steps that will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
