3 Tufts lacrosse players remain hospitalized with rare muscle injuries

Three Tufts University men’s lacrosse players remained hospitalized Monday with a rare muscle injury after participating in a voluntary, supervised 45-minute workout earlier this month, according to a university spokesman.

The players became ill in the days following a Sept. 16 practice that was led by a Tufts alum who is a recent graduate of the BUD/S Navy SEAL training program.

About 50 team members participated. All were evaluated by medical professionals, with a total of nine requiring hospitalization for rhabdomyolysis, according to Patrick Collins, the university’s director of media relations.

The three who were still hospitalized as of Monday were responding to treatment and were expected to be discharged soon, he said. Some members of the team have been medically cleared to resume training. All team offices have been postponed until cleared by university medical staff.

Rhabdomyolysis, also known as rhabdo, is a rare muscle injury in which a person’s muscles break down, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It is a life-threatening condition that can occur after an injury or excessive exercise without rest.

The Medford, Massachusetts school appoints an independent investigator to conduct an investigation into what happened before, during and after the practice; to evaluate the university’s response; and review its procedures and policies to determine what changes it should make to prevent this from happening again, Collins said.

“The team is a tight-knit group of young people who have shown remarkable resilience, understanding and care for each other throughout this episode,” Collins said in a written statement. “We will continue to monitor and work with them closely and hope for a speedy return to health for all involved.”

In 2011, 13 Iowa football players were hospitalized for rhabdo after an offseason practice, and in 2016 the university paid $15,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by one of the players.