Just want to introduce myself...and ask for advic regarding my torn pec surgery I had

[Jake LaMotta]

Just want to introduce myself and ask for advice regarding my torn pec surgery I had

What's up fellas. This is my first time on this board. I came across this board while doing a search. I post on a couple other boards and I would like to start posing regularly on this one. A little backround on myself...I'm a 6' 230 lbs 26 year old white male. I work as a security guard and a bouncer. I'm all natural (don't use AAS or HGH) although I am a little chubby around the mid section.

For my first thread I was wondering if you guys could help me with an injury and surgery I had.

On March 21 while flat bench pressing (it wasn't alot compared to what you guys do...on my 3rd rep at 265 it went 'pop') I completely tore my pectoral major muscle. I tore it at the musculo-tendious junction (where the muscle becomes a tendon). I went to the doctor, got MRI's, even a second opinion, etc. 7 weeks later on May 9 I had surgery to repair this. My doctor said the surgery was a success. He said he only reattached 80% of it though because the other 20% was too scarred down to repair. He said it didn't matter, all you need reattached is 50% to have a successful repair.

Anyway since 2 weeks after surgery I have been going to physical therapy. I have 6 more weeks left of therapy and than I can start lifting again VERY lightly.

If you guys don't mind I have alot of questions. I know some of you guys have torn your pecs and have had surgery. Any help would be greatly appreciated:

1) I'm very concerned about my doctor only reattaching 80% of the muscle/tendon. (The other 20% was too scarred down to reattach). He said all you need is 50% reattached for a successful repair to get full strength and function back. Is this true?

2) My doctor said he used permanent undissolvable suitures. Is this good or bad? Will these make it more durable and harder to retear in the future? Will these affect my ROM or strength?

3) I was nervous that after my surgery I may have retorn this and ripped the suitures out. I say this because I didn't wear my sling all the time and even sometimes used the arm to do stuff like brush my teeth, use the phone, tie my shoes, etc. My doctor said if I ripped the suitures I would definitly know and that I am just being paranoid.

4) When will this be fully healed? My doctor said, given I'm young (26 years old) and relatively healthy, that I should heal quicker than most. He said worst case scenario it takes 18 months for a repaired muscle/tendon to heal but he seriously doubts it will take me that long.

5) Will I ever be as big and as strong as I was before my injury?

6) I used to amateur box and was hoping to do that again one day. Will my punching power and hand speed ever be the same again?

Also here is a timeline I put together for my recovery:

1) Tues. March-21-06 I completely tore my pectoral muscle bench pressing

2) Tues. May-09-06 (7 weeks after injury) I had surgery to repair the torn muscle

3) Mon. May-22-06 I started physical therapy.

4) Mon. July-31-06 stop physical therapy. Start weightlifting. START WITH VERY VERY EXTREMELY LIGHT WEIGHT. Do all exercises 3 sets reps of 16,14,12 increasing weight each set.

5) Mon. Sept-11-06 do all exercises 3 sets reps of 14,12,10 increasing weight each set.

6) Mon. Oct-23-06 do all auxiallary exercises 3 sets reps of 14,12,10 increasing weight each set. And do all compound exercises 3 sets reps of 12,10,8 increasing weight each set.

7) Mon. December-04-06 do all auxiallary exercises 3 sets reps of 14,12,10 or 12,10,8 (depending on exercise) increasing weight each set. And do all compound exercises 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 increasing weight each set. Do this for 18 weeks.

8) Mon. April-09-06 (will be 11 months since my surgery) do all auxiallary exercises 3 sets reps of 14,12,10 or 12,10,8 (depending on exercise) increasing weight each set. And do all compound exercises 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 increasing weight each set. From this point on the last set of all my exercises will be to absolute failure (should usually reach desired number of reps I listed).

9) Mon. June-11-06 can start boxing training. I will train by myself without my boxing trainer (just to get back into the swing of things). I will do this for 6 weeks.

10) Mon. July-23-07 can start boxing training with my trainer. (At this point I will start my SERIOUS boxing training).

11) Mon. Sept-03-07 can start sparring and preparing for a fight.

12) By Oct. of 2007 (will be 1 year and 5 months since my surgery) I plan to have my first amateur boxing match in YEARS.

I know this was alot to throw at you guys for my first thread but I am a nervous wreck that I will never be the same again.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

I could really use some help with these questions fellas.

 

[edge250]

i had a complete rupture of the tendon a complete pec tear. i do not know what percentage was reattached but i have no outter pec sweep on the right side under the armpit. mine took a full 4-5 months of nothing but physical therapy, then when i finally did start back to training i used hammer strength equiptment with no weight on it and slowly over the next 6 months began to add small amounts of weight to the machine. it was almost a full year before i was training hard again and prolly another 3-5 months to get back to where i was strength wise. be patient it takes time to fully heal, if you rush the process you just reinjure the pec. can you get stronger than before, yes no question. will you have a mishappen'd muscle, yes. boxing should not be a problem after your healed. my best advice, never go near a flat bench again. anymore questions dont hesitate to ask. good luck

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Thanks edge.

I had my surgery May 9. I'm supposed to go back to work full duty on September 10. I work as a security guard and soemtimes I have to break up fights and restrain people. When I go back to work it will be 4 months since I had my surgery. Do you think this will be healed enough by than that it won't retear if I have to get physical with somebody at work?

Also what do you think of the timeline I presented? Is it realistic?

One last question edge, do you ever feel pain or soreness in the arm as a result of this injury. For example, if you had to fight or wrestle with somebody, could you do it pain free and still take care of business.

 

[New_Mass]

2nd Doc opinion

Bro this link http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15361 is about a bicep being repaired but figured you could gain some information from it by at least getting this doctors name/number and maybe ask him the questions about the way your pec was repaired if possible.

 

[edge250]

4 months is not enough time, you stand a good chance of retearing. you cant put a timeline on something like this. i have no pain, its been about 4 years and i am stronger and bigger than ever, restraining or fighting someone would not be a problem. also a bicep tear would heal much faster than a pec tear so you cant really compare the 2.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

The thing is I have to go back to work in Sept because my sick/personal/vacation time will have run out. I can't afford to go without pay. My doctor said by that time this should be healed enough and strong enough where if I had to restrain somebody that this wouldn't retear so easy. He told me this thing should be 100% healed in a year.

Also what about the fact that he used permanent suitures. Will that make this harder to retear?

And another thing, edge, when this thing gets fully healed will it be more likely to retear again or harder to retear?

I know you can't predict the future, but just looking at the timeline I put together, is that a good realistic plan of attack I created?

Sorry for all the questions edge. I'm just hating life right now.

 

[edge250]

my doc told me once my tear was fully healed that i could possibly have another pec tear but it sure the hell would not be that one. i wouldnt try to start pushing any real weight around till about the 6th month mark. just becareful with the job. look into some gh to speed connective tissue healing

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Why did you say if you had a pec tear again it wouldn't be that one? Is it possible it got more durable after the injury? Why did you say that?

Another thing, it's been 6 weeks since my surgery and my bicep (where he drilled the holes for the repair) is still sore, numb, and swollen. Is this normal? When will this go away?

And lastly, I was very nervous the first couple of weeks after my surgery because I thought I retore it and popped the permanent suitures. I say this because I didn't always wear my sling and even sometimes used my arm to do non-strenuous things (like brush my teeth, tie my shoes, etc.). My doctor said I was being paranoid and although it was stupid to do the things I mentioned and not wear my sling, he doesn't think I popped the suitures because they are very strong and to do that I would've had to really do something strenuous or jerk my arm in an explosive manner. I didn't do either of those. Do you think I'm just being paranoid edge?

It's such a relief being able to communicate with someone who has been through the same hell I am going through.

 

[New_Mass]

some spot on info

also a bicep tear would heal much faster than a pec tear so you cant really compare the 2.

Edge your information is spot on here, just like your post(#13) is spot on in the skipload thread bro , my intentions was for him to get the Docs number, call and ask the major questions for a better piece of Mind, for this Doc deals with all muscle tears not just the biceps

 

[edge250]

got ya bro

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Edge I sent you a PM, could you help me with the questions I asked 2 posts up?

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Anyone else have any advice or info for my situation?

Actually I got great news today. I talked with my employer. They're gonna advance me sick days and instead of going back to work security in Sept (as planned), I can go back to work the day before Thanksgiving!

Nov. 22, will be 6 1/2 months post pectoral surgery. Do you guys think by that time I will be able to restrain people and break up fights without retearing this? By this time, will I be able to defend myself without reinjuring this?

Also by this time (Nov. 22) do you think alot of this injury will have been healed? Should I have alot of my strength back by then? Keep in mind I will be doing this without HGH or AAS.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave_19]

Tearing a pec is or any muscle has alway's been a huge fear of mine. let me ask both of you guys were your reps very smooth, slow, controlled when it tore? Did you properly warm up?

 

[edge250]

dave that was what was so frustrating for me, i use text book form, slow negative, i dont bounce, use momentum for anything like that. i had a few good warm-up sets and had already did my 2 heavy sets and was doing one last pump set with a lighter weight (315) on the 3rd rep when i went to press it off my chest it felt like a cork screw went right thru my chest, which was actually the tendon snapping, it could be heard across the gym. i could actually see the pec bunch up after the tendon let go. i had a great spotter and he immediately yanked it off of me. i lay on the gym floor for about 30min almost felt like i was going into shock, the pain wasnt to bad at that point but i got very cold, pale and was sweating profusely. i finally got up and drove myself home and laid down for a couple hours till my girl got home. by that time i was purple from the middle of my forearm all the way up the bicep, across the armpit and clear down my side. post surgery was pure hell; oxycotin and vicodin and i was still hurting. long road to recovery, that was about 5 years ago i have never been on a flat bench since and never will. i am back up to 335x6 in the incline which for me is very strong.

 

[edge250]

between this and sleep apnea surgery i got all the gory details

 

[Jake LaMotta]

After I tore my pec, I seriously was about to throw up but luckily I kept it together. After I left the gym and drove home the pain was brutal.

edge, how long after your surgery were you on antinflamatories?

 

[Vespa103]

So you can never get the outer sweeep again?

 

[edge250]

i dont remember, it was all a haze. i can remember walking around the mall with the wife with my big ass sling on and all the sudden my drugs wore off, i wasnt in pain but it was the 1st time i ever felt like i was addicted to something, it was bad, i got nasty. must have been the oxycotin as i have had to take percocets before but never had a problem with them. and i do not, have not ever messed with any of that shit accept when prescribed.