A “Freak Injury” Just Changed Everything for HGTV Star Ant Anstead

Sometimes it takes a freak accident to force a reset we didn’t know we needed. For HGTV personality Ant Anstead, that moment came after what he called a “freaky footy accident” — one that left him with multiple upper-body injuries and a doctor-ordered halt to his famously high-speed life. Known for his nonstop projects and onscreen energy across Wheeler Dealers, Celebrity IOU: Joyride, and The World’s Greatest Cars, Anstead suddenly found himself sidelined — and realizing he might have needed the pause all along.

Sharing an update on Instagram, Anstead, who is Christina Haack‘s ex-husband, revealed he’d detached his pectoral muscle and torn his rotator cuff and labrum, adding that he’s “forced to rest (which I don’t do well).” Still, his caption hinted at a deeper gratitude beneath the frustration: “I’m taking it as a sign.” After years of pushing himself physically and professionally — and amid efforts to repair long-complicated relationships — the injury has become more than a setback. It’s a wake-up call to slow down, reassess his health, and redefine what balance really means.

Ant Anstead To Do a Hard Reset

Though Anstead didn’t detail exactly how he sustained the multiple injuries, he certainly explained the strain it caused. Rather than taking a woe-is-me front, he’s taking it on the chin and making the best of it. As he detailed in his post, he does not handle resets well. As someone who has “a need for speed,” it’s understandable! But the father of three understood how grateful he was for this reset. As viewers saw on Season 1 of The Flip Off, he and Haack are patching up their previously strained relationship. Now, this may help make it even stronger.

Furthermore, he noted in his post that this injury was a sign. “October can officially go away! Three close and beloved friends received terrible diagnosis! It kick-started me to look closer at my health, and I went down many rabbit holes…. Diet, peptides, body scans, vitamins etc etc,” he wrote. As much as he loves to push himself physically and professionally, this injury put things in perspective. It’s a moment of gratitude through his frustration. His ability to see the light is inspiring for those who have a similar “get up and go” mindset.

Medical Incidents Have Changed Many HGTV Stars’ Lives For the Better

Though he didn’t detail the specific diagnosis of his close friends, the timing was karmic for him as he took this moment to look internally at his health. Anstead is not the only HGTV star who had a major reset following a health scare. During his time on Flip or Flop, Tarek El Moussa was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 after a fan spotted a lump on his throat. After contacting the show, El Moussa went to get it checked out, learning he had thyroid cancer and testicular cancer. Meanwhile, like Anstead, Home Town star Ben Napier had a major internal reflection. Though it first started after seeing a photo of himself, following shoulder surgery, Napier’s doctor advised him of the necessity of blood pressure medication, which made him realize that he needed to change his entire lifestyle. Striving to be healthier was a major factor in his desire to shed some weight.

Anstead is using this injury as a reflection of his life. It’s a midlife course correction. He acknowledges that if he treats his body better, he can optimize his personal and professional careers. The projects will keep coming, and now they have a chance to be bigger than before. Anstead is serving as an inspiration to HGTV fans.

Christina on the Coast is available to stream on HBO Max.