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Torn Bicep Tendon

Posted on 8/9/24 at 11:03 pm
Posted by GITiger66
Member since Dec 2019
362 posts
Posted on 8/9/24 at 11:03 pm
was winching the boat up last weekend and felt a pop and shooting pain near my elbow. saw an ortho this week and he says it’s a torn distal bicep tendon and will require surgery to heal. anyone have experience with this ?
how bad is the recovery? thanks.
Posted by HES
Member since Feb 2015
132 posts
Posted on 8/10/24 at 9:06 am to
Interested in responses. Saw an ortho yesterday for the same thing. Going on a Mexico dove hunting trip next week so I really just wanted a cortisone shot and deal with it when I get back. He did an ultrasound and was pretty sure it wasn’t ruptured so he gave me the shot. Doing an MRI when I get back, but thinking there’s a tear.
Posted by busbeepbeep
When will then be now?
Member since Jan 2004
19502 posts
Posted on 8/10/24 at 9:09 am to
quote:

torn distal bicep tendon
I did this back in 2013 during a rugby game.

With a distal tear, the time is important. The longer you wait, the more that tendon retracts, so it's highly recommended to get surgery done within 15 days of the tear.

At the time I did mine, there were 2 styles of repair. Single incision suture anchors or two incision method where they tunnel out a piece of the bone and anchor the tendon there. I had the two incision method.

Rehab is frustratingly slow, but necessary to protect the repair. You wear a hard brace that starts you locked in a 90 degree position at the elbow. Lots of time in PT with 1 and 2 lb dumbbells slowly working on range of motion and then building back strength.

Thankfully I never had any side effects during rehab or any issues after the surgery. I played rugby again after the repair and continued to lift weights after getting cleared after finishing PT.
Posted by busbeepbeep
When will then be now?
Member since Jan 2004
19502 posts
Posted on 8/10/24 at 9:11 am to
quote:

Doing an MRI when I get back, but thinking there’s a tear.

Is yours on the distal (elbow) side or the proximal (shoulder) side of the bicep? Distal usually needs surgery. Proximal is sometimes just treated with rehab.
Posted by HES
Member since Feb 2015
132 posts
Posted on 8/10/24 at 9:54 am to
Distal. Actually happened about 4 months ago and ignorantly I didn’t get it checked out until yesterday. He did say surgery may no longer be an option because I waited so long, but we’ll know more after the MRI I suppose.
Posted by AZBadgerFan
Scottsdale, AZ
Member since May 2013
1843 posts
Posted on 8/10/24 at 11:02 am to
I will probably be the outlier here. Three years ago I slipped on some loose gravel while backing up my motorcycle in a parking lot. I prevented the bike from going down and muscled it up but tore my left distal bicep tendon in the process and the next day my arm was black and blue from shoulder to elbow.

A friend was a trainer for the Arizona DBacks for years and is now the head trainer for the Professional Bull Riders Tour. I was told if having surgery you need to do it within a week or two of the trauma. He diagnosed a ruptured tendon and I asked him what to do, his exact words were "not a god damn thing". He said to not to strain it for 6-8 weeks and it will scar over. I took his advice and it's the best thing I could have done. When I flex you can see where I ruptured it but other than that it's not noticeable. I used to lift moderately heavy but have backed off and have maintained muscle mass. As long as I can lift, surf and kayak I'm good and I can do all those things with no issues. A lot depends on your age and level of activity when deciding to have surgery or not but for me not going under the knife was the right choice for me.
This post was edited on 8/11/24 at 1:01 am
Posted by jose
Member since Feb 2009
29668 posts
Posted on 8/11/24 at 12:48 am to
You don’t usually need to do surgery for a distal biceps tendon rupture.

Like the poster above me said, once it scars over it’s fine.
Posted by Volt
Ascension Island, S Atlantic Ocean
Member since Nov 2009
3214 posts
Posted on 8/11/24 at 7:35 pm to
quote:

You don’t usually need to do surgery for a distal biceps tendon rupture.


Like the doc (Jose) said.

I've torn both of mine distally. Left one around 2010 and the right one in February 2019. Never saw anyone either time. Let the pain and weakness slowly recover and within 8-9 months I was good as new.

Just a few days ago I was doing concentration curls with 60# dumbbells. Every now and then with a hell of a strain like I had with the 60s, I'll feel that same sharp pain I felt when I tore them and have to tell myself to back off.
Posted by GITiger66
Member since Dec 2019
362 posts
Posted on 8/12/24 at 9:07 pm to
Have seen two surgeons and both confirmed that it is completely torn on distal end (at elbow) and recommend surgery. I am mid 40s and pretty active. Planning to go ahead with the surgery.
Posted by Tygerfan
Member since Jan 2004
33861 posts
Posted on 8/14/24 at 5:25 pm to
It's been almost 2 years since I torn mine and had the single incision surgery where they anchor the bicep to the forearm. It took about 6 weeks after the surgery to no longer need the robot looking arm brace.
It was about 4-5 months before I was able to moderately lift heavy things again but still had some pain.
The first year after the surgery, I would still get some pain at the bottom of the bicep if I overused it and would have to use an ice pack at night.
2 years now and I'm back to working out and exercising with zero pain.
Posted by GITiger66
Member since Dec 2019
362 posts
Posted on 8/14/24 at 10:23 pm to
thanks Tyger. thats what I am hoping for.
Posted by busbeepbeep
When will then be now?
Member since Jan 2004
19502 posts
Posted on 8/16/24 at 12:59 am to
quote:

Planning to go ahead with the surgery.
good luck! I wonder if the technology has advanced any. This Arthrex kit is what they used on me in 2013

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