I tore my long biceps muscle from the shoulder while leaving the blocks at Nationals on Sunday. It is what is called a "proximal" (by the shoulder) tear of the "longer" of the two biceps muscles. If it were a "distal" tear, where the biceps attachs near the elbow, the standard course is surgery to reattach. This is not always the case with a proximal tear. I just saw an orthopedic surgeon who recommended no surgery for my tear. I will seek a second opinion as I have a two week window if I want to have it surgically reattached.
My reason for posting is to ask if anyone has had a proximal (shoulder end) biceps tear. What did you do? I want to maintain swimming at an intense level and am not sure how much is lost if I do not have surgery. And I understand that even with surgery there are no guarantees of complete recovery.
Any information about a biceps tear and treatment would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Greg Shaw
Just curious. In last three weeks I have left practice with red "welts" at top of arm just beneath shoulder. Looks as if someone gripped my arm really hard. Very tender to touch. In looking up where biceps tendon attaches, it seems that this is where I am getting these welts. I SHOULD KNOW EVERY FRICKIN' shoulder exercise, since I do a ton, but what might help me strengthen this area? I'm thinking it may have more to do with my shoulder and less to do with my biceps.
Anyone struggle with this? I don't never wanna have shoulder surgery again; took me two years to get back to my current state, which is good enough for me though not Top 10, cetera. Have an appt. with ortho next week, but she was very "you'll never swim again" after I had my shoulder surgery in 2010, and not very knowledgeable about PT post-op. Happily I have a great PT who showed me how to get back flexibility and strength. But it took a long time.
Muchas gracias, nadadores. Izzz
Eric,
First, I'm assumming you're asking about the tendon that I did not have reattached. It never ruptured, but was released during an operation to repair a torn labrum in Sept. of '05. Not a very long recovery as I recall and the length was due primarily to the labrum. Probably swimming within 3 months. Too lazy to look it up in my 2005 training log. I never had the popeye bulge as my docs did a special post op wrap that prevented it and it has not changed over the last 7 years. While the passing years have affected my strength, I don't think the operation had anything to do with that! I don't do curls very often, prefering pullups and I did manage 5 really good ones (touch shoulders to the bar and full extention at the bottom) with 25 lbs.strapped on, so the strength is hanging on. I could do 12 when I was only 60.
Rich
Rich -
You have my attention! On Aug 2 I broke my clavicle in a bike wreck. Since then I have been struggling with a frozen shoulder. Last week I had an MRI which indicated SLAP Tear. The doc wants to do the Tenotomy (release the biceps Tendon). My concern was the impact on swimming. Before I read your report I was concerned that there would be loss of strength in the bicep. I am also interested in more details on the post op wrap.
Thanks,
Chris
