‘Tis the season for the harsh challenges of high school football training camp. The heat, the sweat, the worn out cleats, the coach yelling at the top of his lungs, the seniors waiting to knock you on your behind during drills.
But for a group of Oregon’s McMinnville High School football players, it’s even tougher as high heat, intense practices and dehydration combined to put more than a dozen teammates in the hospital over the past week, afflicted by compartment syndrome, OregonLive.com reports.
The ailment can be caused by extreme physical stress, particularly when temperatures are high and dehydration sets in. Kidney failure can be the result if the condition is left untreated.
Dr. Craig Winkler treated seven of the players said a workout during camp likely brought on the syndrome, but is also looking at tests to see if there were any other causes. “We’re looking to see if there’s some inciting event or some toxins that led to this massive injury,” he said.