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Thread: Quad tendon rupture and re-injury

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Default Quad tendon rupture and re-injury

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    Hi all,

    In a recent podcast, Mark and Will Morris were discussing Mark's quad tendon rupture, and his re-injury. It came up in passing, but I think they said one in five re-rupture? I ruptured mine about a year ago, and this is the first I’ve heard of the re-injury rate.

    I seem to be recovering well, that quad is still not as strong as the other, but I'm back under the bar and my squats are moving up. I would love to hear more about that re-injury, and how, if possible, I might avoid such a fate.

    Thanks

  2. #2
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    I got infected, and I pushed too hard too early. Make goddamn sure that you squat with as vertical a shin angle as you can produce. If you're careful, you'll be okay.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    I got infected, and I pushed too hard too early. Make goddamn sure that you squat with as vertical a shin angle as you can produce. If you're careful, you'll be okay.
    Out of curiosity, was there severe pain when you ruptured it? Every time I see a tendon rupture on tape it looks hella painful. Does the adrenaline rush help ease the pain? I'm always afraid it'll happen to me..

  4. #4
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    Sep 2010
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    Default

    Thank you. I'm sorry to hear that you got an infection. Vertical shin? That sounds different than how you teach it, or at least as I'm trying to visualize it. I'mAny video on that anywhere? Still have the bar in the low bar position, bend over, etc? Glad you’re better now.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Town View Post
    Out of curiosity, was there severe pain when you ruptured it? Every time I see a tendon rupture on tape it looks hella painful. Does the adrenaline rush help ease the pain? I'm always afraid it'll happen to me..
    Tendons do not have pain receptors. There is no pain when a tendon ruptures, just mechanical instability.

    Quote Originally Posted by mbdonner View Post
    Vertical shin? That sounds different than how you teach it, or at least as I'm trying to visualize it.
    It is different, because it has to be. We don't teach the squat to healthy people the way injured people have to do it.

  6. #6
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    Sep 2010
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    Default Why does tendonitis hurt?

    Hi Mark,

    You are right, it didn't hurt when the tendon ruptured, I didn't think much about that at the time. I felt pain at the site of the attachment, and any movement after that was painful, but the rupture itself, no.

    So why is tendonitis painful? I don't understand the mechanism there.

    Thanks.

  7. #7
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    starting strength coach development program
    That's an excellent question, and I'm sure it has something to do with the nature of inflammation vs rupture, the innervation of the structure, and the pain receptors in the tendon sheath. We'll ask the board.

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