My Distal Bicep Tendon Rupture

[BilletO]

Hey guys,
Just starting a little log about my injury and recovery through this painful ordeal I've been dealing with. In the beginning of this year- I was floating around a steady 263 lbs and fairly lean...at some point around Valentines day weekend at the gym, I curl a very modest 25lbs for reps...upwards of 12-15 or so... and SNAP. Everyone around me heard the pluck of the guitar string. The gym got quiet really fast and people rushed to help me as my bicep curled nearly to my shoulder. In my head I couldn't believe what was happening and that as I grabbed my once bicep area, was just bone and tissue....I panicked and quickly calmed myself down.

Its now March 13th, Surgery was the 24th and now out of surgery and the cast I can finally fully extend my arm with the supervision of a therapist. Turning of the wrist is not possible and finger sensitivity is partially gone but its coming. Pain is off and on but vicodin and Ibuprofin help.. Im sitting at a whopping 214 lbs and can barely eat to save my life.. weights and tons of protein have little meaning to me right now as I am now in survival mode..I gotta get myself well before I care to pick up a weight. This morning Dr. told me within 2 more months I should be able to curl 10 lbs and by 6 months another 10. By 1 year I should be at near full recovery.

Lesson learned- listen to your body, treat it like gold and she will be good to you. Even if it doesn't talk to you, don't workout stressed and by all means, stretch stretch stretch. Im keeping the faith because I know this will only make me stronger but in the long term, it will hinder me thoughts whenever I mess with the weights. I will be back.. now its time to do some calves

Any support you guys can give, id greatly appreciate it.
Im also willing to answer any and all questions.

thank you brothers.

 

[cashrolling]

good luck and stay strong, i know what u going thru, i tore my pec really bad years ago, and its not nice!!!!!!!be strong and u will be back better than before.

 

[TerpVTX]

Sorry to hear about that bro. I hope PT goes well and you have a speedy recovery.

 

[Kaladryn]

I had the same injury, same recovery time, and everything worked out well. At 6 months post op you will probably feel 100%, but it will be a full year before it is really 100%. For me I used it as a positive tool to motivate me to be in better shape and to train smarter than before. My recovery actually led to my first bodybuilding competition after 20 years of lifting with no interest in competition. Find a way to make it a positive force in your life. Good luck.

 

[Big Vin]

Hope for speedy recovery. Heard the same "pop" last April..mine didn't roll up so much though. I never had the surgery and am curling just about where I was.
I'm 47 and not competing...surgery just wasn't worth it at this age, and have very high job responsibilities (and a 6 year old) .
People can't really notice the difference in the 2 arms unless I point it out to them. Just glad it didn't roll all the way up, or I would've had no choice.
Oh, you won't be needing your gear for a long time...please send it to me!

 

[Mr_Massive1]

Good luck on a speedy recovery keep thinking positive as that will help big time...sucks getting injured

 

[wizim]

sucks man! i tore the shit out of my left quad this summer. tore all 4 muscles of the quad. if your not already on hgh i would suggest it. i tore my quad attempting a new 1rm at 415 on sept 29th 2013. the orthopedic surgeon said it would be 1 year before i was back to 100% strength. 2 weeks ago 9~5months later) i easily squatted 385 no spotter.

best of luck in your healing brother. get on some hgh!

 

[jt4330]

hope you recover fast man!!! Hopefuly maybe some gh will help the recovery as well.

 

[Kaladryn]

sucks man! i tore the shit out of my left quad this summer. tore all 4 muscles of the quad. if your not already on hgh i would suggest it. i tore my quad attempting a new 1rm at 415 on sept 29th 2013. the orthopedic surgeon said it would be 1 year before i was back to 100% strength. 2 weeks ago 9~5months later) i easily squatted 385 no spotter.

best of luck in your healing brother. get on some hgh!

Um, are you sure that is a good idea? If I was in your shoes I'd never go below 15 reps again. FYI, re-injury is most commonly between 6-12 months after.

 

[wizim]

i feel good. note... i had 4 tears ranging from severe partial to minor including a partial tear of the tendon. my injury did not require surgery. just physical therapy.

 

[Psych069]

Friend of mine had the same injury doing preacher curls with low weight. It took him almost a year to recover. He still will not do preacher curls though. Good luck on the recovery.

 

[lestatgear]

Had the same thing. I'm at 6 1/2 months post surgery. Started curling 10 lbs at 2 1/2 months and am now curling 35 lbs for six reps on the surgery arm. Overall, I'm at about 60% of where I was for pulling and curling exercises and 70 - 75% for pushing exercises. I take it slow though.

 

[Simpllyhuge]

That sucks bro. I hope as it gets better you can work out legs in the meantime. Maybe with a safety squat bar. We're these regular curls?

Is there anyway to prevent this from happening?

 

[Kaladryn]

Friend of mine had the same injury doing preacher curls with low weight. It took him almost a year to recover. He still will not do preacher curls though. Good luck on the recovery.

It usually happens on the preacher bench. About 20 years go, it seems to me like everyone stopped using the preacher bench, gyms stopped buying them, everyone agreed it was an unsafe exercise. The vertical preacher bench became popular instead. Nowdays the preacher bench is on the comeback, every gym has them and everyone is using them...

 

[Simpllyhuge]

What about mixed grip Deadlift?

 

[BilletO]

Guys thank you do much for the support. All of the great things you say remind me of why I am part if a great sport and forum. I was hesitant to post up here because I didn know what to expect but already I feel better about my situation I'm dealing with.. You all have seriously made a great impression and I will keep you guys posted as I go along.... Now being Friday I will have another pt appointment and should be able to update you all.

Take care brothers

 

[275bills]

Hang in there bro , wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[upeccmi]

Tore my tricept off three years ago, off for 8 weeks then started back with 5 lbs, I felt better just being in the gym using whatever i could do but came back fast ( two months) the past muscle lost came back fast too and that tricept is stronger than before and no tendonitus as I was having before.
Now I am nursing back from rotator cuff surgery so I am using this to motivate me for when I can return to working upper body again...Good luck!

 

[SAGE74]

Hey guys,
Just starting a little log about my injury and recovery through this painful ordeal I've been dealing with. In the beginning of this year- I was floating around a steady 263 lbs and fairly lean...at some point around Valentines day weekend at the gym, I curl a very modest 25lbs for reps...upwards of 12-15 or so... and SNAP. Everyone around me heard the pluck of the guitar string. The gym got quiet really fast and people rushed to help me as my bicep curled nearly to my shoulder. In my head I couldn't believe what was happening and that as I grabbed my once bicep area, was just bone and tissue....I panicked and quickly calmed myself down.

Its now March 13th, Surgery was the 24th and now out of surgery and the cast I can finally fully extend my arm with the supervision of a therapist. Turning of the wrist is not possible and finger sensitivity is partially gone but its coming. Pain is off and on but vicodin and Ibuprofin help.. Im sitting at a whopping 214 lbs and can barely eat to save my life.. weights and tons of protein have little meaning to me right now as I am now in survival mode..I gotta get myself well before I care to pick up a weight. This morning Dr. told me within 2 more months I should be able to curl 10 lbs and by 6 months another 10. By 1 year I should be at near full recovery.

Lesson learned- listen to your body, treat it like gold and she will be good to you. Even if it doesn't talk to you, don't workout stressed and by all means, stretch stretch stretch. Im keeping the faith because I know this will only make me stronger but in the long term, it will hinder me thoughts whenever I mess with the weights. I will be back.. now its time to do some calves

Any support you guys can give, id greatly appreciate it.
Im also willing to answer any and all questions.

thank you brothers.

Glad to see ur ok, and keep that positive attitude! I hope PT goes well, ur going to have good and bad days, just keep going bro!
Sage

 

[BilletO]

Thank you guys

Today I treated myself to a nice
Apple strudel cheesecake from Applebee's so it helped lol
Other than that I was stretching the arm off and on today and got some blood in it. No vascularity or muscle but it feels good to have an arm and I'm lucky to no be disfigured like so many of our troops.. This is just a blessing in disguise