Surgical Treatment of a High-Grade Core Muscle Injury in a Powerlifter

CASE: We present the case of a 38-year-old male powerlifter, with a history of anabolic steroid use, who sustained a high-grade acute-on-chronic core muscle injury including both adductor longus and rectus abdominis avulsions while squatting 540 lbs. He underwent core muscle repair with reattachment of the rectus abdominis to the pubis without adductor tendon repair. Postoperatively, the patient reported full return of function and returned to the same level of sport. CONCLUSION: Weightlifting and anabolic steroid use are unusual causes of core muscle injuries. Core muscle repair with reattachment of the rectus abdominis to the pubis provides good results in this setting.