Tag: Pec Tear
Hafthor Bjornsson Shares Graphic Footage Of His Successful Pec Tear Surgery
A month has passed since Hafthor Bjornsson tore his chest during the bench press portion of a powerlifting competition. Ever since then, he has been working on making his recovery as perfect as possible which would shorten the time needed to come back. This included some intense methods, like infrared light exposure, cryotherapy, and more. However, all of this led to the most important moment of Hafthor’s recovery, which was the surgery.
Hafthor Bjornsson recently published a new video on his YouTube channel which covered a span of a few days. It started off with Hafthor preparing for his surgery using some of the aforementioned methods, but it also displayed clips of Hafthor’s surgery, as well as a segment of him lying in a hospital bed after everything was done.
Related: Hafthor Bjornsson Shares Doctor’s Update on Pec Tear Ahead of Surgery: ‘Swelling is Getting Worse’
Hafthor Bjornsson’s Surgery
Hafthor Bjornsson started off his video by completing his final round of cryotherapy and specially made recovery shakes, while also expressing gratitude for everyone who assisted him in this process. He then revealed that the pain in his chest and arm has dialed down drastically and that he only feels a bit bruised.
“It’s actually crazy how good I feel in my arm, like I can move it without any pain. The pain level I have right now is zero. If I press my arm I just feel a little bruised, that is all. Obviously, I am cautious, I am trying not to put my arm in any weird positions.”
While talking to his surgeon over the phone, Hafthor Bjornsson explained how he was excited to undergo surgery, presumably because it marked an important moment in his recovery process.
“I am looking forward to everything, which is kind of weird, but I am actually very excited for it.”
After 2 days of preparation, Hafthor Bjornsson woke up on the third day ready to undergo surgery. With everything prepared, Hafthor was put to sleep by one of the best anesthesiologists around. A clip from the surgery, which lasted for a couple of minutes, was then uploaded to his YouTube channel.
Since Hafthor Bjornsson was under the influence of anesthesia, he was not able to communicate as well following the surgery. So, his doctor took over the video to explain what happened.
“Everything went perfect, no problems, absolutely great. It was tough, but we have been preparing for seven days waiting for this. Really happy with how it went.”
While talking to Hafthor, the surgeon explained that they did everything in their power to enable the 2018 World’s Strongest Man to come back properly. They understand that his priority is to regain his strength, so everything was addressed to the smallest detail.
“Not only is his mass large, but his goals are large. So, he needed a special approach in terms of keeping him safe… I did a heavy duty type of repair so it will help him have the best chance of recovery.”
Seeing Hafthor’s injury first-hand, the surgeon explained to him how severe it was and what needed to be done.
“Yes his pec was totally torn, and Yes it was torn mostly muscular. But, I used a couple of different types of graphs that reinforce the muscle, recreated the tendon, and reattached it using some heavy duty anchors.”
Luckily for Hafthor Bjornsson, his doctor went an extra step in ensuring his comfort, as not a lot of additional treatments will be needed after this surgery. He will, however, only need to take care of his wound for some time.
“The good news about your incision is that you don’t need to do anything to it. It is covered with a special waterproof dressing. You don’t need to do anything about it.”
Watch the video here:
Warning: The graphic footage of Hafthor’s surgery starts at the 16:30 mark, and ends at the 18:17 mark.
Related: Mike O’Hearn & Injured Hafthor Bjornsson Use Tom Platz-Inspired Workout for Ligament Strength
Hafthor Bjornsson originally hoped to set a new All-Time World Record in powerlifting by the end of this year, before transitioning to Strongman next year. However, everything will be delayed now, as Hafthor is expected to put out a follow-up video explaining what his expectations for the recovery process moving forward will look like.
Published: 23 May, 2023 | 2:56 PM EDT
Hafthor Bjornsson On Pec Injury: ‘I Completely Tore My Upper Chest off The Bone’, Says ‘He Will Have To Have Surgery’
Having set extremely high goals for this year, Hafthor Bjornsson was excited to see how much progress he had made in the past few months. Aiming to break the All-Time Raw With Wraps World Record in powerlifting, Hafthor was dedicated to improving his squat, bench, and deadlift. However, at his most recent appearance, Hafthor suffered a gruesome injury during one of these events. While taking part in a Powerlifting competition at his home gym in Iceland, Hafthor loaded up 252.5 kilograms (556.7 pounds) for his final bench press attempt. Upon trying to control the bar down to his chest, Hafthor’s left pec muscle detached, resulting in chilling screams of pain. Having taken some time to reflect on the situation, Hafthor has now released updates for his fans.
One of the updates was posted on Instagram, while the other was shared on YouTube. On Instagram, Hafthor Bjornsson posted a picture of what his chest currently looks like. It is clear that his left pec is injured, as the skin has changed color to purple.
Related: Hafthor Björnsson Sets 20-Feet 3-Inches Weight Over Bar World Record at 2022 Rogue Invitational, Says “I Might Come Back”
Firstly, it is important to note that Hafthor Bjornsson has suffered multiple injuries throughout his career as a Strongman and powerlifter. So, he speaks with experience on the subject and estimates that his peck has completely detached from the bone.
“I believe I completely tore my chest, upper chest, off the bone. I will have to have surgery if that is the case”
If his assumption is correct, Hafthor Bjornsson will definitely have to undergo surgery. He has already scheduled an MRI which will reveal every detail of his injury.
Hafthor also revealed that this is the biggest injury of his career so far. However, judging by the remainder of his statement it seems that he will continue chasing his goals after the recovery process is finished.
“This is literally the biggest injury of my whole career. So, I got to tackle this”
The injury has also made it more difficult for Hafthor Bjornsson to carry out daily tasks. He is a left-handed person, but that arm is immobilized due to the pec tear. However, Hafthor used this chance to make some jokes.
“I have a difficult time wiping my a**. Putting my underwear on is difficult. You know, it’s life.”
Watch Hafthor Bjornsson’s video here:
Related: Hafthor Björnsson Drops The Bar on Himself After Squatting 340-kg (749.6-lb) For Two Reps; Avoids Serious Injuries
Hafthor Bjornsson ventured into boxing after conquering Strongman with a 2018 WSM victory and a 501-kilogram (1,104.5-pound) Deadlift World Record. In boxing, he managed to beat fellow Strongman, Eddie Hall, following which Bjornsson realized that lifting weights is his true passion.
Consequently, Hafthor Bjornsson decided to come back to powerlifting at the end of last year. Furthermore, he extended his goals for this year, aiming to set a new World Record this year, but that seems almost impossible at this time. Hafthor still refers to this injury as a “small setback“. So, he obviously already has his future planned out.
Published: 17 April, 2023 | 12:47 PM EDT