BY Estelle Anderson
Three men’s lacrosse players remain hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis over a week after participating in a 45-minute workout led by a Tufts alumnus and graduate of a Navy SEAL training program, executive director of media relations Patrick Collins wrote in a statement on Monday. According to Collins, nine players were hospitalized with the condition following the voluntary, supervised workout on Sept. 16.
The hospitalized players are responding to treatment, Collins wrote, and all 50 team members who participated in the workout have been “evaluated by medical professionals.” In an earlier statement released on Sept. 20, the university wrote that 12 players had been diagnosed with the condition and five players remained in the hospital.
Rhabdomyolysis occurs after injury or periods of excessive exercise and causes muscle tissue to break down, releasing toxic substances into the bloodstream. The condition is serious and can lead to permanent disability or death.
“The university continues to closely monitor the condition of the team, and some individual team members have been medically cleared to resume training,” Collins wrote. “However, all team practices continue to be postponed until university medical personnel authorize their resumption.”
According to Collins, Tufts is hiring an independent investigator to look into the incident and determine what changes the university should make to its current policies.
“The team is a tight-knit group of young men who have shown remarkable resilience, understanding and care for each other throughout this episode,” Collins wrote. “We will continue to monitor and work with them closely, and we hope for a rapid return to good health for all involved.”
