Rare Syndrome Hits Oregon HS Football Team

Eighteen high school football players from the McMinnville ((OR)) Grizzlies High School football team were hospitalized last week. Three needed surgery when they experienced swelling in their upper arms after a training camp.

Authorities said they were suffering from "compartment syndrome," which results in tenderness and swelling in their triceps and elbows.

The cause still remains a mystery. Local reports say ten of the team's players are still in the hospital.

WebMD describes Compartment Syndrome this way in its hemophilia section: "bleeding into certain muscles puts enough pressure on arteries and nerves to cause a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment to prevent permanent damage to muscle, bones, and other tissue."

Symptoms of compartment syndrome include:

Weakness and paleness in the affected extremity.
Swelling and numbness.
Severe pain during movement.
Inability to move an extremity (paralysis).

KATU's Bob Heye is indoors for his package...


Here's KGW-TV's report noting the creatine angle in their investigation...
Wayne Havrelly got to sit in his newsroom...


The HQ can connect some obvious dots here, but we won't until the official investigation is completed by the school board. Practice has resumed and the school board is backing the coach and his practices.

More when we know more...