Famous people who have suffered the same injury I did

[Jake LaMotta]

Seeing that all I do is go to PT and sit at home and play on the net, I have alot of time on my hands. I did some research and looked up the many famous people who had torn their pecs, had surgery, and have made successful comebacks:

1) Michael Strahan (NY Giants DE)-Tore his pec in a game in 2004, had surgery and came back in 2005 with a vengence earning a selection to the Pro Bowl.

2) Junior Seau (retired LB Chargers and Dolphins)-Tore his pec in a game in 2004, had surgery, and came back to play the first part of the 2005 season before an ankle injury ended his season.

3) Phil Baroni (MMA fighter)-Tore his pec bench pressing in 2003, had surgery, and came back to the UFC 8 months later. Now he is having a successful career in Pride fighting organization.

4) The Undertaker (WWE wrestler)-Tore his pec bench pressing in 2000, had surgery, and came back 3 months later. Has been going strong ever since.

5) Sylvester Stallone (movie star)-Tore his pec bench pressing in 1979 while training for Rocky II. Had surgery and went on to make 4 more Rocky movies and 3 Rambo movies.

6) Kevin Levrone (pro bodybuilder)-Tore his pec in 1994. Had surgery and has had a succesful pro bodybuilding career ever since.

7) Tony Freeman (pro bodybuilder)-Tore his pec in 1995. He waited FIVE YEARS to have surgery! He than went on to become a pro bodybuilder.

As some of you know, I suffered the same injury on March 21, 2006. I had surgery 7 weeks later on May 9, 2006. My doctor only reattached 80% of the tendon (the other 20% was too scarred down to reattach). Even so, if these guys can make successful come backs, so can I.

Anyone else know of any famous people who have had complete pec tears, had surgery, and came back successfully?

 

[Magnum]

Fars I know, Stallone never had his pec repaired. Keving had his pec repaired immediatley so there wasn't time for there to be any scar tissue involved. I talked to his surgeon. Just FYI.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Stallone did have his pec repaired. I read it in two interviews with him. If I can find it, I will post the links to one or both of them.

And the fact that Levrone had his repaired immediatly is why his recovery turned out so good. I waited 7 weeks because my first doctor was an idiot and said the MRI just showed a muscle tear and not a tendon tear. 6 weeks of PT later and not feeling better, I got a second opinion and a second MRI. Second doc said I had a complete tendon tear and I had surgery the following week. That's why he only reattached 80%. The other 20% was too scarred down from waiting 7 weeks.

My doc said it didn't matter. He said even with only 80% reattached I could make a successful recovery and once I'm healed can go back to heavy weight lifting and amateur boxing (two hobbies of mine).

The point of my post was to show that if other people can make successful comebacks I don't see why I can't. I'm only 26 years old. I'm sure I can come back from this. I'm not stupid, I know I will never be as big and as strong as I once was...but I can still be big and strong.

 

[professore]

Keep strong, brother

Hey -- 80% of superhuman pectoral strength is more than the majority of people ever know. But, w/ injuries and surgery, mental strength is the most important. Keeping your head is crucial when you can't train all out. I'm 9 days out from left bicep distal tendon surgery (80% off the bone), and yesterday I had one of the most intense leg days I ever had in 14 years of training. I won't be able to do nada weight-wise w/ my left arm until October, but there's always something to train. Figures that the muscles you don't love to train never get hurt. Hope your MD hasn't forbid you from training lower body or cardio. Best of luck. I read a great quote the other night while searching on the 'net for physical therapy hints for my injury, here it is:

"After coming to terms with my not-so-minor aches and pains (drinking heavily helps) and after talking with some other training veterans, I've come to realize that injuries are inevitable -- the man who has trained hard and heavy for over a decade without any injuries is a lucky man indeed."

Anyone w/ any suggestions on what I should be telling my skinny, non-deadlifting pretty-boy physical therapist to get me right, please let me know.

 

[Magnum]

Stallone did have his pec repaired. I read it in two interviews with him. If I can find it, I will post the links to one or both of them.

And the fact that Levrone had his repaired immediatly is why his recovery turned out so good. I waited 7 weeks because my first doctor was an idiot and said the MRI just showed a muscle tear and not a tendon tear. 6 weeks of PT later and not feeling better, I got a second opinion and a second MRI. Second doc said I had a complete tendon tear and I had surgery the following week. That's why he only reattached 80%. The other 20% was too scarred down from waiting 7 weeks.

My doc said it didn't matter. He said even with only 80% reattached I could make a successful recovery and once I'm healed can go back to heavy weight lifting and amateur boxing (two hobbies of mine).

The point of my post was to show that if other people can make successful comebacks I don't see why I can't. I'm only 26 years old. I'm sure I can come back from this. I'm not stupid, I know I will never be as big and as strong as I once was...but I can still be big and strong.

Sure you can. I had a friend who waited 3 years and his surgery turned out great. It's never too late. I'm still pretty sure Stallone had no surgery. In fact it looks exactly the same as it did when he tore it. Do you have the interview handy?

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Magnum, I couldn't find any links to the interviews but I found a link to a message board where they talk about Sly being on Jay Leno and he talks about a surgery he had on his chest due to bench pressing. Read it and tell me what you make of it because it sounds weird to me what he had done. You can see it here:

**broken link removed**

Also, I sent you a PM, did you get it bro?

 

[Jake LaMotta]

I hope you guys are right.

A year from today I hope to be as big and as strong as I once was without any pain or discomfort when I lift.

 

[Got Juice]

i just found out last night my buddy tore his pec 1 week ago... he is going in 7/7 to have it fixed up.. i think you will be fine man, just get your pec operated on, let er heal up well, and get back at it slowly.. if you dont get it operated on it will just always hinder your lifting until you are doing 30lb dumbells with pain.. trust me i konw from personal experience..:

 

[professore]

Hey, fuck "hope." We just do it. Same as training when you're weak, or tired, or whatever. You just do it. I'm 33, bro -- you have plenty of great growth hormone busting out at 26. My friend told me about his buddy who tore his right pec all the way off the bone -- totally fucked, couldn't bench for a year -- and what he learned was (1) keep up the cardio, the abs, the calves, the forearms, hammer back machines -- all of the small stuff, the tricep kick-backs b/c (2) all of those exercises kick your growth-hormone production into action. If you can leg-press, go nuts -- turn whatever you have left into your training regimen. Worry about symmetry later, you need to keep your head straight while you heal. I'm listening to him.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

The only thing I'm worried about is that it's been almost 7 weeks since my surgery and my bicep is still swollen and hurts. If I do a seated row motion my bicep hurts. Also, if I flex my bicep, it hurts. I'm starting to think my doctor hit a nerve or something.

I am done with PT in 5 weeks and than my doctor said I can start lifting again (very lightly). I hope this pain in my bicep is gone in 5 weeks.

 

[ClintCarter]

Gawd dam Jake, you gotta share how it happened.
Did you not warm up?
Were you attempting a single rep max or personal best?
Was it on barbell benchpress or something that really stretches you out like Dumbell flyes?
Was there anything you could have done to prevent it?
More warm up or stretching etc?

A pec tear would be like my ultimate nightmare.
I would really appreciate hearing your experience.

 

[Got Juice]

you said you are done with PT in 5 weeks. which at that time your doc says you can start ligting again very light.. you mentioned you are doing seated rows and it hurts, so you are already lifting?

honestly man, i know you wanna get back into the gym but if you are already lifting you are making a bad decision.. you need to listen to your doc and let you body heal completely..

 

[Jake LaMotta]

No I said when I do a seated cable row MOTION. Like when I pull my arm back in extension...my bicep hurts.

In PT right now they have me doing bent over dumbell rows with 5 lbs dumbells. They have me pull the dumbell up to my chest but not full extension. It doesn't hurt that bad when I do them but it still hurts a little.

Should this pain go away in the next 5 weeks?

 

[ClintCarter]

Well, spill the beans dammit.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

I did it flat bench pressing. I just got off of work late and wanted to fit my workout in. I wasn't warmed up at all. I wasn't using really heavy weight (265 lbs.), and on my 3rd rep I felt a pop.

Since that day my life has been a nightmare and I will probably never be the same again.

 

[Eatbig2getbig]

keep your head up..

Jake- you will bounce back from this injury. Remember the old saying, "things that don't kill you will only make you and stronger." Hang in there. My trainin' partner, edge, tore his pec a couple of years ago after collegiate ntls. The injury set him back for a while but today he's a beast again.
Just stay the f**K away from flat bench pressing. I think that this is one of the most over-rated and dangerous exercises that can be done. I know more people that have tore their pecs, shoulders, etc. on flat bench. Just my two cents...hang in there.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Thanks Eat. I'm glad you think I can bounce back from this. A couple things though:

1) The reason why I don't think I may bounce back is because my doctor only reattached 80% of the tendon. Because I waited 7 weeks after my injury to get surgery the other 20% was too scarred down for him to reattach. 80% reattached is not 100% reattached.

2) I still have some soreness, swelling, and even numbness in my bicep area where the tendon was reattached through the bone. My doctor said some skin nerves were probably damaged because he had to cut deep inside of me. He said they should regenerate and the numbness will be gone. He said the swelling and soreness should go down as well. My question is, will the pain and swelling be gone in 5 weeks when I will be done with PT and ready to start lifting again?

3) I will NEVER flat barbell bench again...but I will flat dumbell bench again. In 5 weeks on Aug. 1 when PT is completed and I go back to lifting, at first I will do light weight/high reps (12-15). After about 6 months I'll go back to my usual 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 increasing weight each set. I'll make sure I warm up good and use good form.

A year from now, I hope I'm back to normal size, strength, and durability and can put this injury behind me.

 

[Eatbig2getbig]

Jake- glad to see you are already looking down the road. keep the positive attitude. You are gonna go through many ups and downs emotionally during your healing process. Keep the positive mindset. When you get down look for support. There are others that have been through what you are going thru. Like I was saying in my last post...my trainin' partner edge tore his pec doin flat b-bell bench. Took him about a year to bounce back. He completely tore his pec and tendon both away from the bone. It was as bad of a tear as could be done in terms of pec and tendon tears. Today, he is just as strong as he was back than...in fact he is an even a bigger freak today (damn him anyhow...LOL) of course minus doin flat benches. Incline barbell bench is no problem, since the angle does not stress nearly as much. Hang in there bro! This too shall pass in time. Like you said try to focus on other aspects of your training. Bust your calves, legs, abs, etc. Turn any negative energy into positive by focusing on these. Good Luck!

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Thanks Eat. I'm glad you responded to my thread. I have a couple questions for you though, 2 of them I posted above:

1) The reason why I don't think I may bounce back is because my doctor only reattached 80% of the tendon. Because I waited 7 weeks after my injury to get surgery the other 20% was too scarred down for him to reattach. 80% reattached is not 100% reattached.

2) I still have some soreness, swelling, and even numbness in my bicep area where the tendon was reattached through the bone. My doctor said some skin nerves were probably damaged because he had to cut deep inside of me. He said they should regenerate and the numbness will be gone. He said the swelling and soreness should go down as well. My question is, will the pain and swelling be gone in 5 weeks when I will be done with PT and ready to start lifting again?

3) What do you think of my timeline for rehab and recovery? You can see it here:

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17475

 

[KillerStack]

1) The reason why I don't think I may bounce back is because my doctor only reattached 80% of the tendon. Because I waited 7 weeks after my injury to get surgery the other 20% was too scarred down for him to reattach. 80% reattached is not 100% reattached.

Hell, 7 weeks before surgery is nothing. I had to wait over a year for surgery!
You are lucky you had yours relatively quickly as far as I'm concerned.

Pec tears have been successfully repaired as long as 13 years after the injury.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/408531

If you want to talk to some people who have a lot of knowledge regarding pec tears I would talk to powerlifters. Check out www.elitefts.com
Maybe try emailing someone like Dave Tate from over there. They know how to recover the quickest since most of them have had numerous pec tears.
Do a search in the Q&A section, with "pec tear":
**broken link removed**

How does the belly of the muscle look now? Big indentention?