'Game of Thrones': The Mountain Actor Recently Suffered Horrific Injury

Actor and strength athlete Hafthor Bjornsson is recovering from a horrific injury right now – a tear in his pectoral muscle. The World's Strongest Man competitor attempted to set a personal record on the bench press last month during a competition at his own gym in Iceland. With 556 pounds loaded on the bar, Bjornsson felt the agonizing tearing sensation that all strength athletes dread.

Bjornsson tore his pec while lowering the PR bench press to his chest according to a report by Men's Health. Because the competition was being livestreamed online, there is a video of the accident, and many viewers say they can literally hear the muscle tearing while they watch. The 34-year-old immediately shrieks in pain and needs spotters to lift the bar from his chest. A few days later, Bjornsson offered an update for fans in a video on his YouTube channel.

"Wiping my ass is difficult," he said frankly. "I am left-handed and putting my underwear on is difficult. I have to figure out how to recover as fast as possible." Still, Bjornsson said that he is "doing okay considering everything." His arm is now in a sling, and he gave some insight into the next steps recommended by his doctors.

Bjornsson needed an MRI to pinpoint his injuries and ensure he took the best course to recover. He was heartbroken to say he expected a prolonged break from heavy weightlifting in general. He said that he will still be doing cardio workouts just to get time in the gym and console himself.

At the elite competitive level, muscle tears are not uncommon for athletes like Bjornsson, particularly in the pectorals, biceps and hamstrings. According to WebMD, a pectoral tear is relatively rare with bench pressing being the most common cause. In most cases, a partial tear can be treated with rest and pain management, but in extreme cases with a full tear, surgery is required to reattach the muscles and tendons to the bones.

Bjornsson would undoubtedly be devastated by a prolonged break from the gym. He has won some major titles in the sport of Strongman, including World's Strongest Man in 2018, but to most fans he is better known for playing Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane on HBO's Game of Thrones. In George R.R. Martin's books, The Mountain is described as being close to eight feet tall, and at six feet, nine inches, Bjornsson came close. More importantly, he conveyed the warrior's legendary intimidating demeanor.

Bjornsson continues to update fans on his condition on his YouTube channel and document his recovery. Game of Thrones is streaming now on HBO Max.