What is rippling muscle disease? Jo Lindner's rare condition explained as popular bodybuilder dies aged 30

German influencer and bodybuilder Jo Lindner, who is known online by the moniker Joesthetics, died last week after suffering from mysterious neck pain. The news was confirmed by the 30-year-old's girlfriend, Nicha, who explained he died in her arms after reportedly suffering from an aneurysm.

In a heartbreaking Instagram post, Niche (@immapeaches on Instagram) wrote that he gifted her a custom necklace a little before the incident:

"He was in my arms.. than this is just happening too fast.. 3 days ago he kept said that he pain his neck .. we not really realize it… until it too late... If your guys were to know him like I do… he is the most amazing and incredible person in this world."

Lindner was a fitness enthusiast who frequently shared content related to his gym workout and training regimes on various social media platforms. He briefly lived in Dubai and Thailand, where he created much of the content that brought him fame. He boasted a following of over 8.4 million on IG and a million on YouTube.

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Jo Lindner worried about suffering a heart attack due to his rare condition

In an interview in early June 2023 with YouTuber Bradley Martyn for his channel Bradley Martyn Raw Talk, the German fitness guru revealed that rippling muscle disease made it difficult for him to train for and participate in bodybuilding contests. Jo Lindner explained that the condition left him vulnerable to heart attacks.

Rippling muscle disease is a rare condition that makes muscles hyperexcitable or extremely sensitive to movement or pressure. Generally, muscles in areas near the center of the body (proximal muscles), especially those in the thighs, are most affected.

According to MedlinePlus, stretching the muscles causes "visible ripples to spread through them, lasting 5 to 20 seconds." Additionally, a small bump or impact could cause muscles to bunch up or repetitively tense (contract). These contractions can be extremely painful and can last up to 30 seconds.

In the aforementioned interview, Jo Lindner, who frequently spoke in favor of body positivity, described his fears by stating:

"The heart is also a muscle, that’s my biggest concern that what if I get such a bad cramp that my heart gets a cramp... That makes me scared. That's why I'm staying away from bodybuilding competitions too much."

According to Mens Health, dehydration is a common "tactic" in the industry to make the muscles more defined, and many use the assistance of drugs known as diuretics to flush out water from the system. Jo Lindner described a grave situation where his condition, coupled with dehydration, could lead to dire consequences.

In 1992, pro bodybuilder Mohammed Benaziza died after a competition. An autopsy later revealed he was severely dehydrated and experienced heart failure.

In his last IG post, Lindner opened up about going off intensive training for one year due to a hernia surgery. He explained he decided to undergo Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) since he was unable to recover his low levels of testosterone. He ended his message on a positive note, promoting a natural healthy figure.

Jo Lindner's cause of death remains unconfirmed.