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Partially torn Bicipital tendon

Bob ArsenaultBob Arsenault
in General Training Discussions

I had a fall the other day and felt some strong shoulder pain. While doing curls last night I noticed  my bicep balled up and an identation where the bicep attaches.  Had localized pain doing some work today at the indentation site.

My question is:    Is surgery inevitable?   I'm doing LP in July, would rather put offf any procedures until that is over if I can compete with this problem.   Since I can bike and run with this problem, should I consider having surgery now so I'll be able to swim come spring?

What's the rehab like?  How will it heal without surgery and will the pain get worse or subside with the volume of swimming I will be doing?

I am seeing an ortho next week, just wanted to get some other opinions before then.

Thanks.

Comments

  • Leigh BoyleLeigh Boyle
    get thee to ortho ASAP. image if the muscle is balling up and there's an indent you're moving into rupture territory versus "partial tear" and that needs to be determined by eval.

    A partial tear? get some PT to dig it all out and get mobility/strength back.

    Rupture = surgery. Rehab isn't as horrible as you think. The real problem will be work for you versus training. You're looking at 4-6 weeks in a sling but you'll get full recovery back versus if you do nothing at all and lose a huge chunk of strength in your shoulder forever and ever (subtitle- way too active not to get that fixed if it is infact a big tear). You'll be back to swimming well before LP so no worries there. Bike and run will be largely unaffected other than the first few weeks.
  • HasanbaydounHasanbaydoun
    So, Bob here's a couple of questions
    what was your function in that arm prior to this injury? how old are you? did you injure anything else in there?
    you'll be quite surprised that if you tore your biceps proximally (at the shoulder), a lot of people will opt to do nothing. In the past, we used to think that you will get cramping in your biceps if you had proximal rupture, which was not repaired (tenodesed). Infact, there's recent evidence to suggest that is not the case, and that people might have the same function if that anything done, or not!!!!!

    totally agree with leigh, your worry will not be swimming LP, even though i have a feeling that's the only thing you care for right now;-)

    keep us posted what happens



  • Bob ArsenaultBob Arsenault

    Thanks Leigh and Hassan,

    To answer your questions, I am 47 years old, I have had several injuries to this shoulder  over the years and have lived with a low level of pain for many years.   In hindsight I probably had some fraying of the proximal bicep tendon and it finally just let go. 

    I currently can still function with this injury and only have pain with certain movements.   I do have an obvious hole where the tendon should be attached.

    If I knew it would not get weaker or any more painful i would live with it.   Hopefully I'll get more answers on Monday.

    Thanks for your input.

  • Bob ArsenaultBob Arsenault

    Leigh, Hassan,   I saw the Ortho today, I tore the tendon of the long head of the bicep.  He told me to HTFU.

    Actually he said surgery was not recommended unless pain became unrelenting.   Pain should subside soon and function should be fine.  Very happy with the news.

    Thanks again.

  • Michael JohnsonMichael Johnson

    I have treated many of these tears both surgically and nonoperatively. Long term I dont think it make a functional/strength difference..just cosmetic.....you will always have that biceps cosmetic change. But if you operate on them you will replace a large scar cosmetically instead of the biceps being balled up

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