Albert Haynesworth likely suffered from rhabdomyolysis
Washington Redskins nose tackle Albert Haynesworth missed multiple practices last week and the reason was described to the media as being due to ‘headaches’. It has been revealed recently by NFL.com that the actual ailment he is suffered from is an illness called rhabdomyolysis.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers resulting in the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. Some of these are harmful to the kidney and frequently result in kidney damage. Myoglobin breaks down into potentially harmful compounds.
Exertion and hot conditions exacerbate the problem, but in most mild cases people recover in a week or two. It is treated with aggressive hydration to dilute the urine and flush the myoglobin from the kidneys
The symptoms the tackle suffered were that of the ailment and included dizziness, nausea, vomiting and muscle swelling. Other symptoms associated with the disease can include fatigue, joint pain, seizures and unintentional weight gain. The condition can be brought on by severe exertion or heat exposure and a couple of Haynesworth’s missed practices resulted from heat-related symptoms. On Thursday, Shanahan said that Haynesworth had a “headache.” He was treated by team doctors through the week but the term “rhabdomyolysis” did not surface in the media until Sunday.
Because Haynesworth’s symptoms were of a milder case and he was treated all week by doctors, he was able to recover enough to play in the game against the Ravens Saturday night. But meeting with reporters after the game it was obvious he was angry that the coaching staff had minimized his illness, saying that he “just wants people to say the truth about what’s going on. That’s it. A headache? That’s not what’s going on.”
Teammates of Haynesworth have become tired of the whole thing. In the locker room after the game, one player familiar with the nose tackle’s illness said that while he understood why Haynesworth might be upset, he also knew that head coach Mike Shanahan would never reveal details about any players’ medical condition to the media according to the Washington Post.
Shanahan spoke in an interview with AOL Fanhouse on Sunday and talked about the situation with his disgruntled player.
“Albert has gotten away in the past with playing without practicing,” Shanahan said. “That will not happen under this regime. If he’s going to play, he’s going to practice, and that is the same with every player here. The days of him playing without practicing are over.”
When asked about the reports that Haynesworth has rhabdomyolysis, Shanahan answered: “Not aware of that.”