# Tore abdominal while squatting- on video



## nissan11 (Mar 15, 2017)

I am hoping you guys can tell me what I did wrong here to prevent this type of injury from happening in the future. I was doing 5x3 @ 80% which is 552. I was in my 3rd set when I felt the most horrible tearing sensation of my life. I have never experienced anything like it. It was like someone held a piece of leather against my lower ab and ripped it like a sheet of paper. I was terrified when it happened because I thought I had gotten a very bad hernia. I crawled to my phone and called a friend who drove me to the ER. After being there a few hours the doc examined me and said it was a very unlikely spot for a hernia to happen and thinks it is just a bad muscle tear. The exact location is about half way between my waist line and my member, directly center and to the left. He prescribed pain meds and and advil and told me not to lift for two week. I don't want to sound like a bitch, but it is excruciatingly painful if I try to move my legs, twist my body, or accidentally contract my ab muscles. 

I really do not know what I did wrong. I have lifted more weight than that in the past few weeks for the same number of sets and reps. Everything felt OK going into that set except for a slightly sore/strained left groin muscle.  I am pretty nervous nervous about even thinking about squatting ever again but I am sure you guys will tell me I can't get by on box squats for the rest of my life.


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## Palmetto (Mar 15, 2017)

Man that looked painful. Hope you get well soon.


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## Milo (Mar 15, 2017)

How tight is your belt?


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## ToolSteel (Mar 15, 2017)

Hernias can happen from your ballbag to your belly button. That had to be a zinger to drop you. 

Best of luck healing up, and hopefully they can be sure of what happened.


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## Georgia (Mar 15, 2017)

Holy **** me in the ab hole. This looks awful. Sorry bro. Hate you had to experience it.


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## ECKSRATED (Mar 15, 2017)

Stop with the never squatting again nonsense. You'll heal up man. That's what muscles do, they heal.


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## TrickWilliams (Mar 15, 2017)

Shit Nissan. That's crazy...

You'll squat again my man. It will heal up. Just take it easy for a few weeks. No doubt you will be back


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## PillarofBalance (Mar 15, 2017)

I know the feeling Nissan. I am just getting over a nasty calf tear myself. Just squatted for the first time since December on Sunday morning. I can barely walk I am so sore lol

This shit happens and some of it is preventable.  To protect my abdominal wall I take my mid sized ex wife and crush my abs with it. Roll it up and down.

Anyway, you will squat again.  Rest up for a bit and when it stops hurting get with a physical therapist.  Laser therapy will be key here in getting moving again.


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## nissan11 (Mar 15, 2017)

10-4. Thanks everybody.


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## DieYoungStrong (Mar 15, 2017)

Well that looked like it sucked.

BTW - 5x3 at 550 is moving some good weight! Especially with bare knees.

You'll be back. Look on the bright side, you could have torn your actual ball bag. Treat the rehab like it's more important then training, and you will come out ok.


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## Rip (Mar 15, 2017)

Isn't it an inguinal hernia. Rest and keep an eye on it.


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## trodizzle (Mar 15, 2017)

Holy shit man! No clue what you hurt but that looked painful, I hope you figure out what went down and heal up. So sorry.


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## IHI (Mar 16, 2017)

Holy smokes nissan, my gut hurt watching that 

God speed towards recovery brotha, youll squat again, brotha, but like many have said, use the belt to help prevent future damage. 

I didnt tear any abdominal muscles but had a small abdominal hernia from yrs back with my construction business and heavy, off kilter lifting, that grew like crazy once i began squatting/doing deads until i had to have it fixed with mesh repair; then once i could lift heavy again, blew intestine thru another portion next to that repair, they called it a surgical hernia since the mesh stitching weakened area next to it, and that where 2nd blow thru happened. 

Been good since though


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## BRICKS (Mar 17, 2017)

No fun indeed.  Heal up man, you'll be back at it.  And strong work squatting that weight.


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## Battletoad (Mar 17, 2017)

Ouch...wish you the best with rehab, man.


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## nissan11 (Mar 17, 2017)

Typo in the original post. That was 352 not 552.


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## Georgia (Mar 17, 2017)

nissan11 said:


> Typo in the original post. That was 352 not 552.



Does this make it that much more painful knowing it wasn't 552?


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## Jin (Mar 17, 2017)

nissan11 said:


> Typo in the original post. That was 352 not 552.



I'm 280. You had me wondering whether I should even bother continuing to lift or just give up, cause I can't even squat above 500 for a single

352 x 3 is still a strong lift for your weight. Hope your recovery goes well.


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## DieYoungStrong (Mar 17, 2017)

nissan11 said:


> Typo in the original post. That was 352 not 552.



Disregard my post then...pussy.

I'm just kidding. God Speed. I hope you heal up soon.


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## nissan11 (Mar 18, 2017)

Yes, I feel like a bitch for sure. Especially sitting here in my recliner drinking non-green beer on st pattys day because I cant go out.


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## nissan11 (Apr 19, 2017)

4 weeks after injury it still hurts and I can not even come close doing a lunge or any other leg exercise. I just saw another doctor this morning who thinks it will be 6 months until the muscle and ligament are completely healed. 

Uggghhhhh


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## BigSwolePump (Apr 19, 2017)

Video link isn't working. Hope you get better soon. I have never torn a stomach muscle but have torn my left pec. The sound alone can make you nauseous. I was out for 6 months before I could do anything but took almost a year to fully recover from it. By fully recover, I mean I was able to bench again but the tear is still noticeable.


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## nissan11 (Apr 19, 2017)

I think I am going to set up an appointment with an orthopedist.


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## nissan11 (Jun 4, 2017)

Just an update...


Since the injury I have slowly started increasing intensity of training except for squat. I still can not squat the bar without pain. I saw an orthopdist yesterday who ordered me to get an MRI Tuesday. Xrays showed the pelvis and joint to be good so it is likely a tendon tear. I hope it does not require surgery. I can't stand holding back when training.


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## Milo (Jun 4, 2017)

Focus on healing man. Work what you can with bench and other shit but priority should be recovery.


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## nissan11 (Jun 20, 2017)

I saw the 4th doctor today, a surgeon who specializes in hernias. Luckily, it is not a sports hernia. However, it is a completely torn adductor longus where it attaches to the pelvis. He wants me to work on PT for 1 to 2 YEARS before we resort to surgery. He said he does not think that muscle will ever be as strong as it once was after this kind of tear and he hinted all around that I will never be able to squat heavy again.

So, he referred me to a PT and gave me a bunch of exercises to do with a time table for recovery.

This is such a shitty day.


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## Milo (Jun 20, 2017)

Cant squat even with a narrow stance? Should be a lot easier on the adductors.


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## nissan11 (Jun 20, 2017)

Narrow stance is what I was doing when I got hurt.


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## Jin (Jun 20, 2017)

nissan11 said:


> I saw the 4th doctor today, a surgeon who specializes in hernias. Luckily, it is not a sports hernia. However, it is a completely torn adductor longus where it attaches to the pelvis. He wants me to work on PT for 1 to 2 YEARS before we resort to surgery. He said he does not think that muscle will ever be as strong as it once was after this kind of tear and he hinted all around that I will never be able to squat heavy again.
> 
> So, he referred me to a PT and gave me a bunch of exercises to do with a time table for recovery.
> 
> This is such a shitty day.



Thats awful news. I'm sorry that you're dealing with that. I can't imagine how frustrated you must be. Keep your chin up, you never know; doctors can be wrong and patients can surprise doctors with determination and hard work.


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## nissan11 (Jul 19, 2017)

Today I saw a third surgeon for a third opinion. This guy was THE guy for adductor injuries.

The news was not good. The adductor longus is torn almost completely accross. It is slowly healing but will never be as strong as it was. If I ever squat heavy again I risk a total tear in which case surgery can not be performed and the muscle will remain seperated for the rest of my life. If that happens it is not the end of the world for walking because I have two other adductor muscles, but it would likely be the end of lifting and other physical demanding hobbies I have 
His recommendation is to never attempt another squat PR
He said keep training but not do any sets of squats with less than 10 reps. He told me to watch a bunch of Kelly Starrett video and WORK ON MOBILITY. He gave me some other adductor mobility exercises and told me the most important thing to prevent future injury is mobility there. 
I live a very active active lifestyle with the main passion in my life being riding quads. I need my adductor for that and for my job. 

So, I am going to hang up my dream of doing a meet one day in an effort to have a lifetime of other physical activities. I will be 2/3 powerlifter and 1/3 bodybuilder. I am sure the change in squat training will drag down my dead lift, but it is what it is.


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## Milo (Jul 20, 2017)

Terrible news man. But at least you can still train.


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## nissan11 (Aug 11, 2017)

Today, at 5 months since injury, was my first lift with a belt. It felt good.


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## NoQuarter (Aug 11, 2017)

Looks good!  Glad to see you still working out and that it is not hurting.


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## Palmetto (Aug 12, 2017)

Glad you are back at it. Stay strong


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