Ranieri Lopes Filho was trying to leg press nearly 900lbs as he prepared for a bodybuilding competition in May – but ruptured his quadriceps tendon in his right leg
12:02, 29 Jan 2026Updated 12:40, 29 Jan 2026
The terrifying accident happened in Ranieri Lopes Filho’s local gym(Image: @ranierilf/Instagram)
A bodybuilder was captued crying out in pain after sustaining a devastating injury while attempting to leg-press nearly 900lbs during competition preparation at his local gym.
Fitness enthusiast Ranieri Lopes Filho shared the distressing footage of his accident on social media, revealing he now faces months out of action and won’t be able to resume training until year-end if his rehabilitation progresses smoothly.
The 31-year-old tore his quadriceps tendon, which works with the quadriceps muscle to straighten the leg, at a gym in Teresina in north-eastern Brazilian state Piaui while sculpting his physique for a bodybuilding competition scheduled for May. Video of the incident captured him clutching his right knee and shrieking in pain as his head tilted backwards and he sat powerless in the leg press apparatus.
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He was attempting to lift the massive weights for a second rep after settling down to start the exercise – and the sound of the rupture was distinctly audible on the clip Ranieri uploaded. Gymnasium personnel and fellow members rushed to assist him – clearing the weights from the bar’s end and hoisting the apparatus off his feet, though he remained clearly distressed and turned to one side as emergency services were contacted.
Ranieri, who has been training for a decade, was transported to hospital and underwent surgery the next day. Medical professionals have advised him he must now rest with his leg fully straightened for three weeks and is prohibited from bending his knee.
The athlete has been advised to undergo physiotherapy involving electrical stimulation therapy as part of his recovery process. However, he’s been cautioned it will be several months before he can walk properly and light training won’t be on the cards until year-end.
Ranieri sustained the devastating injury while preparing for a tournament(Image: @ranierilf/Instagram)
Supportive messages flooded his social media after he shared the shocking footage of his accident. Alongside the video, Ranieri penned a reflective message: “Although each experience is unique, it’s the decisions we make that guide the meaning of our existence. “Thus, life presents numerous challenges whose consequences reveal both the weight of decisions and the false alternatives that offer us only the illusion of freedom.”
He admitted: “It was an indescribable pain, but along with it came the frustration of knowing that all the planning to compete in May had gone down the drain. “The post-surgery pain was even worse than that of the accident.”
Orthopaedic surgeon Anisio Castelo Branco, who treated Ranieri, attributed the rare tendon rupture to an eccentric contraction where the muscle contracts while increasing in size. He informed Brazilian media: “In about three weeks he will be able to walk with the use of a brace, keeping his knee extended and from the sixth to the eighth week we will remove the brace and allow him to walk and gain muscle strength.”
Ranieri Lopes Filho, 31(Image: @ranierilf/Instagram)
Gregory Ferraz told Ranieri in a message: “Get better soon. I’m sending you good energy to help you recover as soon as possible.”
Another said: “Have faith and stay strong. Every day is a step towards total recovery. “Feel our affection and receive a lot of positive energy.” Quadricep tendon tears are not common and most often occur among middle-aged people who play running or jumping sports. The quadriceps tendon is the most important tendon involved in straightening the knee from a bent position. It connects the quadriceps muscle to the top of the kneecap.
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