Update: 9/23/2024; This article was updated after publication with additional information about the hospitalizations from a Tufts University spokesperson.
Nine athletes from Tufts University’s men’s lacrosse team are in the hospital with a serious and life-threatening muscular disorder after a workout with a U.S. Navy sailor who recently graduated as a Navy SEAL.
A dozen members of the men’s lacrosse team were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after taking part in the workout on Monday, Sept. 16, a spokesman for Tufts University confirmed with Task & Purpose. Nine of those athletes were hospitalized due to the severity of their conditions — and three remain hospitalized, according to a Sept. 23 email statement from Patrick Collins, the university’s spokesperson.
“They are responding to treatment and we hope that they will be discharged soon,” Collins wrote.
Approximately 50 athletes took part in the 45-minute voluntary workout led by the sailor, who himself was a Tufts University alumnus.
Rhabdomyolysis or “rhabdo” is a condition in which muscles essentially break down in excess from high levels of exertion. Proteins and enzymes go into the bloodstream, with the risks ranging from nausea and vomiting to more severe impacts such as kidney failure, disability and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition, although rare, has been known to occur in high-intensity activities and physical training, from collegiate sports to CrossFit.
It’s not clear what the workout consisted of exactly, and the sailor who led the workout was not named by the university. He was described as a “recent” graduate of the SEAL training program. The university confirmed to Task & Purpose that the sailor was invited by the lacrosse team to train the athletes.
“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.” Collins said. “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.”
The men’s lacrosse team won the national championship earlier this year in May and compete in the Division III level.
Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.
One study done by the Defense Health Agency and released in April looked at cases of rhabdomyolysis in the U.S. military from 2019-2023. It described rhabdomyolysis as a “largely preventable condition” that “persists as an occupational hazard of military training and operations.”
Navy SEAL training itself is grueling and has resulted in injury and deaths. Some deaths have resulted from accidents, while others have died during the selection course, known as “Hell Week.” That includes the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, or BUD/S.
In 2017, three football players from the University of Oregon were hospitalized after intense sports training, with one player suffering rhabdomyolysis. The university later issued an apology for the incident. In 2011, 13 football players with the University of Iowa were diagnosed with the condition.
The university is launching an investigation into the incident, Collins said in a statement, “with a goal of taking any steps needed to support the safety of our student athletes.”
The latest on Task & Purpose
- Four Marines trained an Air Force base to take the Marine Corps fitness test. The Air Force gave them medals for it.
- Sailor proudly rocks ‘E-4 Mafia’ patch as he stands watch on USS Abraham Lincoln
- The A-10 era is over for this legendary Air Force attack squadron
- A comprehensive guide to the shoulder tabs Army soldiers wear on their uniforms
- 101st Airborne Division troops headed to Middle East, 3rd Infantry will go to Europe