5 Tufts lacrosse players hospitalized after Navy SEAL trainee-led workout

MEDFORD - Five Tufts University men's lacrosse players are still in the hospital following a workout with a Navy SEAL trainee on Monday.

The school said that 50 student athletes participated in the 45-minute workout led by the university alum. The university said that the instructor had completed the Navy SEAL BUD/S training program .

12 lacrosse players diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis

Twelve of the players were sent to the hospital and diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo , a life-threatening condition that happens after an injury or overexertion, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The condition can cause muscle tissue to break down, releasing toxic components of muscle fibers into the bloodstream, and travel to the kidneys.

"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," said Dr. Shruti Gupta of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Seven of the athletes were treated in the emergency room and released. Tufts said that the number of athletes who are in the hospital and have been diagnosed 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 school said in a statement.

Tufts has postponed all practices for the team until each athlete can be evaluated and cleared. They will also be appointing an independent investigator for the incident.

The Tufts men's lacrosse team won the 2024 NCAA Division III championship against Rochester Institute of Technology in May.

Man who had rhabdo says body shut down

Paul Houle was diagnosed with rhabdo nearly a decade ago. "It felt like I just got beat up. I was like wow this is awful," Houle said.

WBZ covered his story in 2015 when after a high school football practice at Tabor Academy, his Apple Watch notified him his heartrate was off.

"I think I was in the hospital for about a week," Houle said. "And over that time, I just completely lost the ability to move any part of my body. It just was shut down. Overall, just soreness head to toe."