Torn Bicep

[bi19tri]

Anybody torn a bicep and had it fixed? what was recovery like and how long?
Dave

[fitnessman]

My friend did. How bad did you tear it? He completly tore his, was out 6 months.

[hohandy]

I did last Feb. (tore it on LEG DAY - but that's another story) - had immediate surgery and was in a cast/sling for about a month and this robo-cop type contraption to keep me from totally extending/straightening out my arm for another 2 months. I was not allowed to lift anything for another 3 months to allow the scar tissue to regrow around the tendons - otherwise it would just rip apart again - I could do cardio and legwork, and did things like shrugs on the calve machine that didn't involve my arms (you quickly realize how much you need your arms for almost everything in the gym LOL)

When I went back to regular workouts, (6 months after the injury) the doctor cautioned me not to over do it - LOL - I had barely 50% of my pre-injury arm strength and really had to work my way back up - very frustrating. To this day my one arm is not as strong as the other, and the muscle belly has atrophied - my non-injured bicep comes all the way down almost to the bend in my elbow - the injured one stops short by a good couple of inches - but otherwise it's a good recovery - no pain or anything.

[Obadiah!]

Wow, those are some real horror stories. Yikes! Is there a way that a bicep muscle is typically torn? For example, too much weight before warming up, or what? Man, I want to avoid that.

[bi19tri]

I was carrying a stove (dont ask )

[Obadiah!]

Originally Posted by bi19tri

I was carrying a stove (dont ask )

D'Oh!

[rsw1]

Originally Posted by bi19tri

Anybody torn a bicep and had it fixed? what was recovery like and how long?
Dave

I had a torn bicep a few years ago (torn where the muscle meets the shoulder) , and was able to work through it with physical therapy (no surgery). Oddly enough, my orthopedic doc insisted I continue working out as part of my therapy. He was big on not letting these types of injuries atrophy.<<<<Not recommending it, just my experience.

[bi19tri]

does any one else have any ideas on recovery?
Dave

[hohandy]

Originally Posted by bi19tri

does any one else have any ideas on recovery?
Dave

it's been a month now since you posted about this - have you had a medical professional look at it?? The impression I definitely got when I tore mine was that longer that is waited to be addressed the more potential problems with muscle migration and deterioation of the tendons.

[edvanp]

I've torn both biceps tendons, different situations/times (one in Las vegas of all places), but I torn them off the bone where they meet near the elbow, not in the shoulder. Very painful!!! It took a year for what I consider a "full" recovery, but 6 months after surgery is when I was able to start lifting and going hard once again....

[BlondeAmazon]

Originally Posted by edvanp

I've torn both biceps tendons, different situations/times (one in Las vegas of all places), but I torn them off the bone where they meet near the elbow, not in the shoulder. Very painful!!! It took a year for what I consider a "full" recovery, but 6 months after surgery is when I was able to start lifting and going hard once again....

oh OW OW OW OW-- crap that makes my stomach hurt-- I tore my chest muscle in VEGAS too!!! LOL! took me about 3 years for total recovery- my massage therapist could feel the progress of the heal-- that stuff hurts like a b****!

[edvanp]

I cringe everytime I hear of a torn bicep, tricep, chest, etc. It's kinda weird seeing one's bicep up near your shoulder, looking like a spagehtti arm. The worst part of it all though was the MRI I had to have. My orthopedic surgeon wasn't available, so I had to see his partner. He wanted to make sure it was torn so he ordered a MRI. There was absolutely no doubt it was torn comparing my two arms, but nope, I had to have one. I couldn't straighten my arm out, so they had to put a sandbag on my hand to keep it straight/still. I was in for a hour having pictures taken, it was awful, terrible pain. I was pissed, terrible experience.

[Hey-Iwas51]

Rookie question... What causes a torn bicep? Are there any warnings signs?

Am I taking a chance of having something like this happen when I push biceps, like this week when I did the "Arnold" technique of progressively lighter weights to fatigue with each one...

What are the mechanics of a torn muscle? What causes it, fatigue or just plain overloading it. Is it easier to overload when it IS fatigued?

Anyone understand this?? Thanks.

Dan

[edvanp]

Usually it's sudden trauma to the arm. I've heard of gymnastic coaches blowing out both their bicep tendons catching the athlete coming off a flip in the air. Football players will do it in a game. For me, one was wrestling and the other was standing on a small bus and the bus made a quick lane change and threw me one way. I was holding a pole and it jerked my arm and it popped the tendon. Pretty bizzare. I haven't heard of these happening while lifting, unless maybe using insane weight or powerlifting competitions??

[Hey-Iwas51]

Originally Posted by edvanp

I was holding a pole and it jerked my arm and it popped the tendon. Pretty bizzare. I haven't heard of these happening while lifting, unless maybe using insane weight or powerlifting competitions??

Thanks edvanp... Yeah, that is bizzare... had you been working out recently when that happened?

So I am thinking then, that maybe the brain can not give a command to the bicep to CAUSE it to happen, but maybe just not allow the bicep to relax fast enough to protect it in the case of a quick pull (large enough to hurt something).

Obviously, accidents happen, I just want to make sure I don't do something stupid that leads to a tear.

Dan

[NPC_Jim]

Mine was about 3 months before any direct bicep work. Partial tear of bicep temdon. Was being stupid in preacher curls. Did the flexible cast for six weeks whcih is pain-in-ass to sleep, shower, dress in.
Nice little scar at elbow and forearm, doc did a good job. We specialist in sports surgery for 76/Eagles.
Funny is that after rehab and getting strength back, that are is stronger then un-injured arm.

[Hey-Iwas51]

Originally Posted by NPC_Jim

Was being stupid in preacher curls.

So what was it that was stupid? How did it happen?

Just curious...
Dan

[JaggedBill]

I tore my left arm bicep from the elbow on 4/30/06. I had surgery a few days later (asap is best for good recovery). It's amazing how much we use both hands (think eating a hamburger). I tore mine while changing a tire. I squatted down to lift the new tire into place, bracing my elbows on my legs like a Scott curl. I heard a tear like ripping cotton, felt a pop, and my arm went partially limp. There was no pain until after surgery. Sleeping sucks. I will be in a brace for 4 weeks and then onto a slow theraputic recovery period. I'm guessing 6-9 months recovery. I'm also a rock climber so this puts me out for a while here too. So much for all the glucosamine I was taking...

[Hey-Iwas51]

Originally Posted by JaggedBill

I tore my left arm bicep from the elbow on 4/30/06. I had surgery a few days later (asap is best for good recovery). It's amazing how much we use both hands (think eating a hamburger). I tore mine while changing a tire. I squatted down to lift the new tire into place, bracing my elbows on my legs like a Scott curl. I heard a tear like ripping cotton, felt a pop, and my arm went partially limp. There was no pain until after surgery. Sleeping sucks. I will be in a brace for 4 weeks and then onto a slow theraputic recovery period. I'm guessing 6-9 months recovery. I'm also a rock climber so this puts me out for a while here too. So much for all the glucosamine I was taking...

Hey Bill, sounds like it was just last week... Hope you get feeling better soon!!

So, had you worked out recently? Was your arm fatigued? I am still wondering what/how this happens. I tore a hamstring last spring, but it made sense that it happened, I had pulled the muscle and kept using it anyway, extremely fatigued. I was trying to get up on one water ski before I was ready to... I heard a pop...

Dan

[NPC_Jim]

Originally Posted by Hey-Iwas51

So what was it that was stupid? How did it happen?

Just curious...
Dan

Went in to do back, even had the workout planned in my head from lunch. Got there too many doing back. So shifted to bicep. Didn't warm-up enough, and on preacher curls .... the sound of celery ripping. It was left arm, so I could still do things, but what a bytch. Even sneezing one day I felt my whole arm spaz-up. Thought I pop a stich.
NOw I warmup making sure everything is ready for the workout.

[JaggedBill]

I had just got back from vacation- so I hadn't been to the gym for a couple weeks. My surgery was only five days ago so I'm still gettin used to this new inactive routine. Can be challenging keeping the spirits up. Anyone have any info on the best nutritional supplements for recovery. Thanks!

[MEL GIBSON]

BICEP TENDONS are easily injured if one juices even easier due to tendons becoming less flexible.and heavier weights being handled due to muscle hypertrophy at a freaky rate. see muscle grows faster than connective tissues. msm will develop connective tissues, but once one tears a bicep tendon he loses symmetry in double bicep pose just ask tom platz. and immproper lifting form like crucifix curls or straight bar which are unnatural on arm movement . e-z bar curls with lots of weight are safer than high rep straight bar curls just ask dorian yates. and usually the tendon tears when one pushes a car plays basketball or falls and catches ones self. never when lifting what does that say, see warming up fills muscle with blood cushioning weight but also restricting pounds that could be lifted. old day powerlifters-bodybuilders had strong connective tissues. that was pre juice days , now what do you do here is your answer get dmso rub on area follow with msm creme also take msm.clucosamine,chondroitin pills.

[Hey-Iwas51]

Originally Posted by JaggedBill

Anyone have any info on the best nutritional supplements for recovery. Thanks!

Bill... Don't laugh... I would suggest Noni Juice. Be sure to find one that in not mostly water. I would recommend Tahitian Noni Juice, although it is expensive. I have also found one at GNC that is all juice and no water. I think it is called Noni Juice from Tahiti or something like that. It actually tastes a bit better than the Tahitian Noni, has a little blue berry and pear juice mixed in to kill the bad noni flavor. Tahitian noni uses blue berrys and grape juice.

Noni is an amazing immune system booster and somehow helps the healing process... I have used it on burns, and various kinds of open wounds. I have also seen it help with healing from surgery, so why not tourn muscle? Look into it, the testimonies are amazing. You will prolly be turned off by them because they sound too good to be true, but I have seen some amazing healing resulting from Noni use. I am convinced it helped heal the brown recluse bite I got a few weeks ago. Helps a lot with inflamation too, that's why I started using it way back when... cleared up my tendonitis. (Unfortunately though, since I have been weight training, it has come back with a vengence.) (I used to be a distributor for Tahitian Noni. Had over a hundred customers at one point.)

Dan

[RioGringo]

Originally Posted by bi19tri

I was carrying a stove (dont ask )

Should have atleast lied and said a Keg of Beer

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Without starting a new thread & kinda on subject ...

I started working out for the first time for about 5 years ... the first week I had a little "injury" ... nothing serious as I could continued. I am thinking it may be tendons, it is better now and my workout never suffered.

When I make a fist, it hurts where the bicep would attach to the forearm ... sometimes hurts when I lift something in a certain way(gripping again) - not while doing curls or any other exercise.

I will see a physical therapist I know when I get to Florida in a couple weeks, just thought I would ask for thoughts here also.

[edvanp]

Bill, the real pain will be when you try to move your hand/wrist in a motion like opening a door nob, that will be painful!! You are right expecting a 6-9 month recovery. It's slow, there is nothing you can do about it. As for workouts, lower body (leg press, leg ext, leg curls, etc) and walking for now. Don't push it and good luck with your recovery!

[Hey-Iwas51]

Originally Posted by RioGringo

Without starting a new thread & kinda on subject ...

When I make a fist, it hurts where the bicep would attach to the forearm ... sometimes hurts when I lift something in a certain way(gripping again) - not while doing curls or any other exercise.

Does it hurt when you lift anything palm down with your arm stretched out in front of you? Sounds to me like it could be tendonitis, or a tendon problem as the result of your injury... check out all the recent threads on tendonitis. Lots of stuff out there over the last six months. Several home remedies, including a manganese/b-12 combo I am doing.

When mine really flares up, it affects my grip in my ring finger and middle finger especially. I have been handling weights and handles in the palm of my hand as much as possible rather than on my fingers. Seems to help keep the flare ups down a lot, although of course, my grip is not being strengthened as much.

Dan

[RioGringo]

Appreciate that Dan ... will hunt down those threads. I am sure it is tendon also.

[JaggedBill]

Things change so fast with an injury of this nature. Simple things (shaving, cooking, cleaning the house, ect.) take an additional 50% of your energy. You have to maintain a comfortable position constantly. Then you start to get fatigued in other areas (like a sore back) from compensation with having to use the other arm for everything. Knowing all the extra energy it will take to manage these tasks messes with your motivation.

I get out of the brace in a couple weeks. Not sure what stage is next. My guess is I'll still be restricted with a sling at least. I just want to know how soon I can expect to be able to tie my shoes?

[dcraiga]

Tore my distal bicep tendon on my left arm in August of 05. Was a complete tear and did it weightlifting. Had an easy curl bar with a wide grip on the preacher curls. The supination of my arm/wrist by grabbing the bar wide is what I believe contributed to my tear, that along with extending too far and having heavier than normal weight. Had surgery approx two weeks after the tear started curling about six months post and now, after nine months, am almost back to normal. Still a bit weak in the left arm. Lessons Learned: (1) Don't fully extend on the preacher curls - the tension transfers directly to the tendons; (2) No more wide grips, use normal grip so as not to force the palms to turn outward too far. (3) Watch the weight, still want a challenge but not a tendon ripping challenge. Bottom Line - I hate preacher curls and can build arms with just normal dumbbell curls and standing bar curls - LOL!!

[wild1poet2]

Originally Posted by bi19tri

Anybody torn a bicep and had it fixed? what was recovery like and how long?
Dave

I partially tore my right distal biceps a couple years ago. Distal is the worse type. It's where the bicep inserts into the bone near the elbow joint. The connection up near the shoulder seems to heal better and often doesn't need surgery. A complete distal tear ALWAYS needs surgery and ASAP. Waiting causes the bicep to atrophy making it difficult to stretch back down to repair.

Mine was partial. Fortunately there is a very good doc who pioneered the surgery that practices out of Newton Wellesley Hospital in MA. I can give you his name if you want. Some docs report a low success rate with surgery. Don't listen to them. See this doc.

But some time has passed and I am hoping you had the tear repaired by now. Teddy Johnson of the NE Patriots tore both his biceps and had the surgery. Many powerlifters tear them lifting. In my case I was pulling tree stumps. All those heavy squats I do allowed my legs to overpower my tendon and it ripped.