Recovering from a Distal Bicep Tendon Tear...

[BigGunz1]

Looking for any helpful feedback from anyone who has been in this position. Heres some info about me been lifting weights seriously for 13 years was 250lbs approx 16% bodyfat preinjury 5'10 , currently 230lbs looking to build my muscle back without heavyweights or risking reinjuring my self until the muscle is completel healed and feels more comfortable. I had a complete ruptured tendon detached from the bone I had a two incision surgery done to reattach the distal bicep tendon and I am 7 months post op.Currently on 500mg of test eth,300mg deca a week and 5ius of HGH ed.

Any helpful gear, training dieting or supplementation advice wo0uld be appreciated and or personal experience with a injury of this magnitude and your recouperation time.

 

[grizz007]

OP I'm also recovering from distal bicep tendon surgery. I had the single incision endobutton repair. Im almost 7 WEEKS post op. I started back in the gym last week. Im trying to be very careful on the movements i do, obviously not doing any direct bicep work. Im doing alot of shoulder work and very light hammer strength chest work. Im able to do neutral grip rows i just have to watch that i dont full extend my arm on the negative.

Have you been in the gym at all in the past 7 months? my best advice to you is to just start SLOW. Get one of those rehab therapy bands to warm up with and go from there. Also careful with the gear, how long have you been on this cycle? I personally think gear is the reason why Im in this position in the first place. On gear, especially high amounts of androgens, its very easy to injure tendons. If your set on running gear id back off the test and run a TRT dose and keep the deca on the moderate end.

 

[Kaladryn]

I started with 1lb dumbbells, and moved up an average of 1lb per week over a year. Good advice given to me by my doctor: at about 6 months you will feel 100%, this is when most people re-injure. How did you do it?

 

[grizz007]

I started with 1lb dumbbells, and moved up an average of 1lb per week over a year. Good advice given to me by my doctor: at about 6 months you will feel 100%, this is when most people re-injure. How did you do it?

When did you start doing direct bicep work? I go back in about a week (8wks) post op and my doc said he should be able to clear me to do light work, depending on my X Ray.

My tear was a result from doing heavy rows, especially fully supinated and pronated. Ive never really been into heavy curls. Biceps are one of my strong points. I usually dont even train them directly, maybe once every 2-3wks.

 

[BigGunz1]

I stayed out of the gym the first 4 months i finished physical rehab then stared training with rubberbands and light 5lb dumbells, Im currently lifting on strict form with all machines but Im used to lifting heavy and everytime I train I dont feel satisfied from my workouts and pumps are medicore. Im asking alot out of myself I know I wonder if theres anything I can do differently I was barbell flat benching 405 or 12-15 reps pre injury now im on a smith machine repping 275 fo 12 and feel like its not enough but now I have that fear in the back of my head everytime I lift that I might tear something again. I orginally tore my bicep curling 110lb dumbell on preachers sounds like alot but i used to rep for 10-12 no problem for the last 5 years had 22 inch arms im now down to 18. So Im very frustrated and taking every measure to rebound.

OP I'm also recovering from distal bicep tendon surgery. I had the single incision endobutton repair. Im almost 7 WEEKS post op. I started back in the gym last week. Im trying to be very careful on the movements i do, obviously not doing any direct bicep work. Im doing alot of shoulder work and very light hammer strength chest work. Im able to do neutral grip rows i just have to watch that i dont full extend my arm on the negative.

Have you been in the gym at all in the past 7 months? my best advice to you is to just start SLOW. Get one of those rehab therapy bands to warm up with and go from there. Also careful with the gear, how long have you been on this cycle? I personally think gear is the reason why Im in this position in the first place. On gear, especially high amounts of androgens, its very easy to injure tendons. If your set on running gear id back off the test and run a TRT dose and keep the deca on the moderate end.

 

[BigGunz1]

12-14 weeks post op I started with rubberbands and 5lb dumbells work from there and be in tune with your bicep dont over strech it or strain it.

 

[Kaladryn]

When did you start doing direct bicep work? I go back in about a week (8wks) post op and my doc said he should be able to clear me to do light work, depending on my X Ray.

My tear was a result from doing heavy rows, especially fully supinated and pronated. Ive never really been into heavy curls. Biceps are one of my strong points. I usually dont even train them directly, maybe once every 2-3wks.

I believe it was 8-10 weeks that I started doing very light range of motion work. Listen to your doctor, they know more than your physical therapist. The important thing is that you don't re-injure yourself, mechanically there is something wrong with how you are lifting that caused the detachment (in all likelihood).

Here is some general information that might help you, especially since you say you don't train biceps directly very often. Tendon injuries often happen in people who stimulate the muscle enough make it very strong, but who don't stimulate the tendon enough to make it strong. Example would be runners, who often rupture the achilles tendon. Your secondary stimulation of the biceps on exercises like back might be enough to keep the muscle developed, however it might not be enough to make the tendon stronger, this may have led to your injury.

 

[downsouth]

I had the surgery in October 2011 and I still have problems with mine. It was ok till about 6 months ago and now I have constant numbness down my forearm and into my hand. The thing that irritates mine is any type of curls, if I just mainly do pushing exercises I am usually ok. I have had many injuries and this one is by far the worst, I think if I did not work out so much it would not really bother me. Good luck to you on yours

 

[BigGunz1]

Most definately the problem was I was training my biceps exremely hard and I believe the injury happened from full extending my bicep going to down for a full range curl on precher. I would do very high volume 30-40 sets on biceps and tricep very heavy.

I believe it was 8-10 weeks that I started doing very light range of motion work. Listen to your doctor, they know more than your physical therapist. The important thing is that you don't re-injure yourself, mechanically there is something wrong with how you are lifting that caused the detachment (in all likelihood).

Here is some general information that might help you, especially since you say you don't train biceps directly very often. Tendon injuries often happen in people who stimulate the muscle enough make it very strong, but who don't stimulate the tendon enough to make it strong. Example would be runners, who often rupture the achilles tendon. Your secondary stimulation of the biceps on exercises like back might be enough to keep the muscle developed, however it might not be enough to make the tendon stronger, this may have led to your injury.

 

[BigGunz1]

Thanks downsouth I took very high pide on being able to curl heavy weight and having huge arms at this point its about me hrowing my ego aside and learning a valuable lesson on training and further muscle growth without reinjury.

I had the surgery in October 2011 and I still have problems with mine. It was ok till about 6 months ago and now I have constant numbness down my forearm and into my hand. The thing that irritates mine is any type of curls, if I just mainly do pushing exercises I am usually ok. I have had many injuries and this one is by far the worst, I think if I did not work out so much it would not really bother me. Good luck to you on yours

 

[BANDY]

I have torn both biceps distally on two seperate occasions. Once on dumbell preacher curls(like you)and the other on deadlifting with forward backward grip. Tore on the underhand side. I was able to start traing very lightly by eight wks post op when with the two inscision method(the first time), and maybe a little earlier with the endobutton repair on the last. The hgh will speed tendon recovery. The aas doesnt speed tendon to bone recovery,only muscle. By four months or so i felt very close to 100% but everyones different and you have got to listen to your body I guess.

 

[Kaladryn]

Most definately the problem was I was training my biceps exremely hard and I believe the injury happened from full extending my bicep going to down for a full range curl on precher. I would do very high volume 30-40 sets on biceps and tricep very heavy.

Preacher curls are the number one biceps detacher, total non functional movement, people go way too heavy, I see in the gym almost every day. I thought everyone stopped using the traditional preacher bench in the 80s as this information was everywhere, by the early 90s everyone was using the vertical preacher bench if anything, but somehow traditional preach bench curls made a comeback. No tension on the top of the movement either, worthless exercise.

[edit] let me go on, lol. At the bottom of a biceps curls, the brachialis, not the biceps should be doing the work, in this position the biceps tendon is inline with the bone and cannot do anything, but is forced to work because of the preach bench, all wrong.

 

[bigman1]

TRUST me when I say your body willl be ready before your mind. When I was competing I had so many injuries but until I tore one my bicep from deadlifting and two I tore my hamstring at the bottom of a squat warming up with 405, hell that weight was so light for me at the time but you just never know. Ever since that my body has healed but my mind reminds me everytime when I go to squate heavy or deadlift heavy and slight feeling in that hamstring I back off.....The mind is more powerful then any muscle....

Good luck brother in fact I actually just decided to do another deadlift meet after tens years of no competition but Im going to get back in slow and see what happens

 

[demon]

Like you I tore mine off deadlifting over under, I also had the endobutton repair...I felt 100% at about 5months.

I have torn both biceps distally on two seperate occasions. Once on dumbell preacher curls(like you)and the other on deadlifting with forward backward grip. Tore on the underhand side. I was able to start traing very lightly by eight wks post op when with the two inscision method(the first time), and maybe a little earlier with the endobutton repair on the last. The hgh will speed tendon recovery. The aas doesnt speed tendon to bone recovery,only muscle. By four months or so i felt very close to 100% but everyones different and you have got to listen to your body I guess.

 

[yurpimpdaddi]

I had a partial tear and did NOT have the surgery. It took forever to get better. I'm talking a good year at least until I was lifting close to normal again. This injury scared me. I didn't think I would be the same. Take your time and be diligent with some structured PT. Hope you get well soon man

 

[BigGunz1]

I have torn both biceps distally on two seperate occasions. Once on dumbell preacher curls(like you)and the other on deadlifting with forward backward grip. Tore on the underhand side. I was able to start traing very lightly by eight wks post op when with the two inscision method(the first time), and maybe a little earlier with the endobutton repair on the last. The hgh will speed tendon recovery. The aas doesnt speed tendon to bone recovery,only muscle. By four months or so i felt very close to 100% but everyones different and you have got to listen to your body I guess.

Out of curioustiy what type of recovery did you have from both procedures and which do you believe to be a stronger repair ? My surgeon told me the 2 incision is the strongest repair for this type of injury and Im definately done with deadlifting heavy and or heavy preacher curls.

 

[Iceman1800]

Bump
I am 4 weeks post op from endo button distal bicep repair. Full tear during a tire flip event at a contest. The tendon was shorter than the surgeon expected so I'm in a 1/2 cast for 6 weeks.

 

[grizz007]

Bump
I am 4 weeks post op from endo button distal bicep repair. Full tear during a tire flip event at a contest. The tendon was shorter than the surgeon expected so I'm in a 1/2 cast for 6 weeks.

I just had my last check up at the 6 month mark. Everything looked fine on the X-ray. bicep feels good, still wouldnt say im 100% but I feel alot more confident doing movements. I think the most frustrating thing about the whole process was the "tone" i lost in the muscle it self. I only lost about 3/4 of an inch total size on my bicep, but i just had no shape to the actual muscle itself. My advice to anyone going through this recovery, dont rush the process, its going to take TIME. Take the recovery time to enjoy life, relax a little. I still hit legs 2 times a week, mostly high volume.

 

[Ruhlfreak55]

first of all....don't wear that dumbass brace very much except the first week. And I started doing VERY light bicep stuff with that arm at 3 weeks post op testing it out. Obviously then the range of motion was limited, but I got it back very quickly.
I was definitely back to 100% training in 3 months max.

 

[Ruhlfreak55]

Bump
I am 4 weeks post op from endo button distal bicep repair. Full tear during a tire flip event at a contest. The tendon was shorter than the surgeon expected so I'm in a 1/2 cast for 6 weeks.

Mine tore trying to tire flip too