How bad does this partial distal bicep tendon tear look? (Pics)

[Dpbauer]

I'm debating whether or not to get surgery in May for it. I have to finish school first either way. One of the surgeons I spoke to said there may be an even bigger gap after surgery and the muscle may be even shorter. It's my left distal bicep tendon. I wanted to compete in physique later down the road and powerlifting as well. Surgery scares me a little due to possible complications, my arm possibly ending up looking worse, and death. It's been two months since the injury. Trying to grow the left bicep again it atrophied from the injury and also retracted proximally a little. The injured arm is the arm with the watch (Left Arm). Not going to lie, this injury killed my motivation in the gym.

 

[Beti ona]

It does not perceive great asymmetries, it would opiate not to operate, but it is not more than a simple opinion without much value.

 

[bieberhole69]

Well the timeframe for "same as before" is 2-3 weeks after the injury...

So you might as well hold off and see if anything happens. Have you had a MRI done to see the extent of the damage? I "partially" tore my distal biceps tendon last year, and the MRI showed it was hanging by only a few threads so opted for the surgery.

 

[Dpbauer]

Well the timeframe for "same as before" is 2-3 weeks after the injury...

So you might as well hold off and see if anything happens. Have you had a MRI done to see the extent of the damage? I "partially" tore my distal biceps tendon last year, and the MRI showed it was hanging by only a few threads so opted for the surgery.

As I understand the timeframe applies to those with a complete distal bicep tendon rupture because the tendon retracts and atrophies along with the muscle. My MRI shows that my distal bicep tendon bifurcates at the radius bone the long head of my bicep tendon is a fully intact and the short head of my bicep tendon has a high grade partial tear. Apparently as long as the tendon is still partially intact I have the leisure to wait.

 

[Love_to_Bodybuild]

its your right one right?

Ive never seen someone tear it away from the shoulder, only from crease of elbow.

what happened?

 

[Dpbauer]

its your right one right?

Ive never seen someone tear it away from the shoulder, only from crease of elbow.

what happened?

It's my left. I have extremely low bicep insertions. I partially tore it at the elbow and it retracted toward the shoulder a little. I was tilting a heavy box with my fingertips basically.

 

[m314]

Getting a partial tear fixed seems like a good idea if you want to get your old strength back. It might not fix the asymmetry issue like you said.

I had a full tear in 2012. Getting the surgery done was an obvious choice in my case. It actually took two surgeries 6 months apart with major complications each time. It left me with about an inch difference in the gaps between the forearms and biceps. I don't regret getting it fixed though.

I have a permanent range of motion limitation in the left arm now, but I don't really notice it anymore. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life now other than the one rep max numbers, which I don't train for at all anymore.

 

[Turkishexpress]

You're young. Get it done, get it done right, and get it behind you.

 

[heavyhitter]

You’re young enough I think I’d consider fixing it

 

[CC]

I agree, get the surgery done but make sure your surgeon is good at what he does.

Also you'll have a lot of time to spend filling out your frame and improving so don't let a minor set back ruin your motivation to train.

 

[No1]

my biceps *left) is much worse than that.. always loved them and now I even love the atrophied one even more.. he needs that tlc.. never stopped me training,but wandering about gym longeveity and such(as it is gonna be for life anyway) don't stop training as you will have a lot to work on for physique (BTW where/what federation are you planning to compete? )

currently I am fixing elbow and it really gets you thinking whther you should do this shit.. of course there will always be other gym/fitness related stuff and exercises to do,but nothing absoulutely nothing beats weight training and likely to make you stick to it

the kings in Bodybuilding are surely not Dorian Yates or Ronnie Coleman..

but these older people who managed to get old and be in shape and still in the game.. Rory Leidelmayer and the likes..

 

[Dpbauer]

Thanks for all the replies guys I've read through them all. I'm trying to stay positive about this. I can not have the surgery until school is over in May. Luckily it's a partial so surgery is not emergent. My plan is to rehab the arm as best I can. My strength has returned but I haven't really tested it out and gone 100 percent with it on any upper body movements etc. So I will continue to go hardcore with legs and maintenance with upper body for the next four months while in school. After school I will start really pushing it and see how well it holds up if it hinders me at all or causes pain I will have the surgery. What bugs me the most is the appearance. I don't think I will be satisfied with the surgery if the bicep looks worse off after surgery so it's a big gamble. At the same time ive seen some good outcomes.

 

[maldorf]

You're young. Get it done, get it done right, and get it behind you.

I agree. if you don't fix it you probably will end up tearing away the rest of the tendon then it will be detached completely. That danger will always be in your mind too when you lift, making you want to hold back in the gym.

 

[Dpbauer]

I totally agree, I just have to wait until school is over. So it leaves me in a limbo as far as training.

 

[lestatgear]

I agree with your plan of seeing how rehab works. With a partial tear, you’re probably okay without surgery as long as it’s not too severe. I think an MRI is a good thing to do, to get an idea of the degree. I partially tore my right pec, later my left and later my right triceps. All somewhere in the 25-35% range and did not have surgery on any of them. They all returned to full strength and functionality.

I then fully ruptured my left bicep and there was no choice but to have the surgery and reattach. Functionality returned after rehab. Never fully recovered from a strength standpoint.

 

[Dpbauer]

I agree with your plan of seeing how rehab works. With a partial tear, you’re probably okay without surgery as long as it’s not too severe. I think an MRI is a good thing to do, to get an idea of the degree. I partially tore my right pec, later my left and later my right triceps. All somewhere in the 25-35% range and did not have surgery on any of them. They all returned to full strength and functionality.

I then fully ruptured my left bicep and there was no choice but to have the surgery and reattach. Functionality returned after rehab. Never fully recovered from a strength standpoint.

The radiologist never gave a percentage of the tear. It was a very odd report. My distal long head is fully intact but the distal short head of the tendon has a high grade tear. This is odd because the distal bicep tendon is one tendon. But apparently mine bifurcates at the radial bone as to where there is a speration between the short head and long head components. So I have no clue as to where that falls percentage wise concerning the distal tendon as a whole. How does you arm look now? Is there a difference between the two arms? How did your partial tears turn out as far as appearance? I know I'm blowing it out of proportion (pun intended) but I really don't like the look of the bicep now.

 

[wizim]

i tore my right distal biceps tendon 90%. i did not have it repaired. im much leaner than you and it hardly noticeable..

 

[lestatgear]

The radiologist never gave a percentage of the tear. It was a very odd report. My distal long head is fully intact but the distal short head of the tendon has a high grade tear. This is odd because the distal bicep tendon is one tendon. But apparently mine bifurcates at the radial bone as to where there is a speration between the short head and long head components. So I have no clue as to where that falls percentage wise concerning the distal tendon as a whole. How does you arm look now? Is there a difference between the two arms? How did your partial tears turn out as far as appearance? I know I'm blowing it out of proportion (pun intended) but I really don't like the look of the bicep now.

On the partial tears, no real visible issue. Nothing at all from a relaxed position. Slight lump of scar tissue can be seen in the right pec when flexed, but very hard to notice. The reattached bicep is significantly shorter then the other, maybe a 1/2 inch, but a lot of degenerated tendon was removed. This is regular bicep.

 

[lestatgear]

This is the ruptured.

 

[concreteguy]

Unfortunately, it gets much more pronounced as time goes by. At your age coupled with you being gym oriented and interested in BBing, DO IT. Cowboy up and "Get it fixed". Sooner is better as time goes it keeps getting shorter making recovery and re-stretching it much harder.

CG