Shocking moment Strongman collapses in heap as kneecaps shoot up into his thighs when tendons snap
A father’s kneecaps popped up in his thighs after he tore both tendons and collapsed during a Strongman final, feeling like he was “on fire.”
Dan Jones competed in the Strongman competition in Southport on September 1st and reached the finals, lifting 80kg over a distance of 20 metres to the finish line.
Frightening footage shows Mr Jones running just seconds from the finish line before collapsing and tearing both patellar tendons, causing his kneecaps to collapse into his quadriceps.
The 29-year-old IT analyst was rushed to Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Cheshire, where he was given painkillers and underwent a major five-hour operation to reconnect his tendons.
The father of one, who has been in hospital for three weeks and is having to learn to walk again, hopes to be discharged before his 30th birthday next month.
Mr Jones’ kneecaps shot up into his thighs after he tore both tendons
The terrifying footage shows Mr Jones racing past just seconds before the finish line
The father of one has been training to compete in the competition since January this year
Mr Jones pictured with his wife Nicola Jones and 11-month-old daughter
The patellar tendon connects the thigh muscle to the shinbone and ensures that the knee remains straight during movements such as walking and climbing stairs.
While it’s uncertain whether the 6-foot-1 Jones will be able to compete again, he says his injuries won’t prevent him from competing in Strongman events in the future, if possible.
Mr Jones, from Weaverham in Northwich, Cheshire, said: ‘I went into the last race second.
“If I had won this event, I would have had a chance to win in my category. And if I had come second, I would have come second out of 16 competitors.”
‘The guy I was racing against was in first place at the time, so I had to beat him, so I was going as hard as I could.
“It was a freak accident. We’re still not 100 percent sure how it happened.
‘When I slowed down the video with the help of the doctors and surgeons, it appeared that the patellar tendon in my right knee suddenly snapped, causing my leg to fold underneath me.
‘Then my left knee bends underneath me and this tendon snaps on impact with the ground.
The strongman went to the hospital and underwent a five-hour operation
Since his accident, the 29-year-old has started physical therapy and is learning to walk again
The final involved Mr. Jones carrying 80kg over a distance of 20 metres to the finish line
‘I felt like I was on fire, my kneecaps were in my quadriceps because my tendons were torn.
‘The strangest thing I remember is silence. The whole crowd was cheering everyone on and then it went dead silent and I was just lying on the ground.
‘I was very upset, I had a chance to win, we were very close to the end with 10 meters to go in the competitions.
‘I only had three seconds left to complete the event.
‘In the video I was riding a little bit ahead of him when I fell, so I knew that if I finished the event I had a chance to win.’
Mr Jones began training for Strongman in January this year and finished first in the ‘First Time’ category at the Strongman competition in Manchester in July.
For his training, he trained eight hours a week and followed a 4,500-calorie, high-protein, high-carbohydrate diet that left him weighing 300 pounds (136 kg). [21st 4lbs] when he participated.
During his surgery, he was given an internal brace on both legs to help his tendons heal, and he also attends physical therapy every day.
He is now documenting his recovery on TikTok, posting a video update from the hospital every day.
Mr Jones came first in the strongman category for the first time at the competition in Manchester in July
He said, ‘The only thing that keeps me going is these little goals’
Mr Jones said: ‘During the operation the doctors said they had to reconnect my tendons and make sure the ligaments under my knee were in the right place.
‘Then they had to put two stitches in my shin and make an internal brace to help my body reconnect the tendon as best as possible.
‘I was lying in bed and couldn’t move my legs, I was worried about everything. I thought, “Will I ever be able to walk again? How long will it take?”
The best bet may be the stress of the day [caused the injury] Since there was no real reason why it happened (there were no signs), it was just a freak accident.
“The doctor said it’s very rare for two patellar tendons to break at the same time.”
Once Mr Jones can stand on his own and go to the toilet unaided, he will be discharged from hospital. However, he has been told he will not be able to walk unaided until February next year.
Mr Jones hopes to represent England in the Open Strongman competition in five years’ time, but surgeons have indicated that this may not be possible due to his injuries.
Despite this, he still hopes to recover from his accident and return to the gym and compete again in the future, if possible.
Mr Jones says he won’t give up on the dream despite the terrible accident
Mr Jones said: ‘The surgeon has said this could mean the end of all Strongman competitions, but that has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
‘He said it would be very rare for me to be able to perform at my old level again, but we won’t know until I’ve recovered.
‘My biggest goal is to become a father and be able to run after my daughter and play with her.
‘I should be able to go to the gym and do aspects of the Strongman exercises.
“There’s a chance I can still do their Strongman, but maybe not in the same way as before. I’m not going to give it up. [the dream].
“It was horrible, but I still have a few small goals I want to achieve, like getting up and walking around. My next goal is to try to stand without help.
“The only thing that keeps me going are these little goals.”