Tufts University has launched an investigation after 12 members of the men’s lacrosse team were diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening muscle injury following a workout led by a graduate who had recently completed Navy SEAL training. 

The university confirmed in a statement to The Associated Press that five students remained hospitalized with Rhabdomyolysis after undergoing a 45-minute workout on Monday. 

A member of the Tufts University men’s lacrosse team looks at the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers goal during the Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship held at Lincoln Financial Field on May 26, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   (Larry French/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

“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,” director of media relations Patrick Collins wrote in a statement on Friday. 

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“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 athletes sustained a muscle injury that the Cleveland Clinic describes as “a life-threatening condition that can happen after an injury or excessive exercise without rest.”  

Tufts University lacrosse players celebrate a goal during the Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship held at Lincoln Financial Field on May 26, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Larry French/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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According to the AP, the workout was led by a graduate of the university who had completed Navy SEAL training. The graduate was not identified. 

Collins told The Boston Globe that seven players had been released from the hospital after receiving treatment. He added that 50 students had taken part in the workout and that head coach Casey D’Annolfo had not been present during the session.  

Tufts University players dump a drink onto Casey D’Annolfo, head coach of the men’s lacrosse team, after the Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship on May 26, 2024. (Larry French/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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Rhabdomyolysis causes the muscles in the body to break down and can lead to muscle death, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If this happens, toxins from the muscle fibers can enter the circulatory system and can even cause kidney damage. 

An average of 26,000 people in the U.S. develop this condition each year. 

The Associated Press Contributed to this report. 

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