# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > INJURIES, REHAB & SPA >  Bicep tendon rupture

## Van-Selftest

I thought I'd share my bicep injury story with everyone.

About 18 months ago, while doing DB incline presses, . . sitting on the bench, I flicked the 50kg dumbbells up (one at a time) with the aid of each leg. . . . . as I'd done thousands of times before in my training life, . . . but this time I lost concentration and my right arm swayed outwards and like a fool I tried to hold onto it and stop it from dropping.

That when I tore my lower bicep tendon out of it's distal insertion into the radius (forearm)
I didn't know that at the time and I tried to continue training.

I experienced a deep pain below my bicep into my forearm and thinking it was just a strain, I took a break from training.

I tried to train around the injury but couldn't do certain exercises.

Unfortunately it took me months before I realised something worse had happened, (started to notice a difference in shape and length of the bicep) . . .went to the doc, . . .went for ultra sound and then MRI scan to confirm the rupture.

I had reattachment surgery on 3 May 2011. (Tendon sutured to a burred out hole in the radius bone with 3 titanium anchors)
I could not train for about 6 months - pure frustration.

I'm not sure if my membership privileges will allow me to post photos but I'll give it a go.

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## ironbeck

awesome post, I should post some pics of my rotator cuff and hernia surgery.....fun fun.
Question? from day 1 after surgery, how log before you could start training other body parts, and how long...say till you could train 50% with your bicept?

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## Van-Selftest

Aah the initial boredom drove me insane so I did heaps of online research about the injury and about ways to accelerate the recovery process.
I took plenty of supplements as well. (calcium, collagen, etc...)

I was not supposed to train my bicep at all for 6 months (I wore a full arm cast for 6 weeks) afterwhich I did plenty of elbow flexion range of motion exercises including pronation and supination of wrist/forearm.

That eventually drove me nuts so at about 3 months I devised my own little program, . . .doing super light weight curls (3kg dumbbells :-) - high reps - about 100 every other day) doing gradual increases up until 6 months when I was curling 10kg dumbbells. 

I trained my legs only for the 1st 3 months and then started to do 1 arm presses, curls, pulldowns, etc...
I was worried about uneven upper body development but it all evened out in the end.

I also incorporated a bicep imbalance training program to help things get back to normal.

It's been just over a year now and my arms are of equal strength and my max curling now is around 30kg dumbbells.

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## ironbeck

Cool....I have a new injury(work related) that will need to be fixed soon. Just curious as to other ppls recovery time and PT.

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## Van-Selftest

Some of the pics didn't upload (apparently only 8 per post allowed)
Anyway, here's the cartoon version of the surgery:

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## capetown

I know how you feel. 3 years ago I tore both my bi's at the same time. 100 percent on right and 80 on left. I was in surgery the next day for the one that let go 100 percent and got the second one done 6 months later. 6 months with my right arm at 90 degree and was not allowed to lift more that a cup of coffee with left. After 6 months I got the second operation and started physio on first one. Straighten 2 degrees a week while the second was now put in a 90 degree cast for 6 month. Lol. It was a long year. Good news is that besides the scares, they got my biceps perfectly put back in place. They are still always on my mind whenever i do dead lifts though.

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## capetown

Right

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## capetown

Left

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## Van-Selftest

Yeah the psychological scar will always remain, . . . . . . I also treat certain exercises with much respect now :-)

Mine was a 100% rupture at the distal insertion, . . . but a small portion, . . . . from higher up the tendon, was still tethered to the forearm muscle (to the bicipital aponeurosis). . . . . . This stretched like a guitar string when I turned my wrist that particular way (see my 1st photo) . . . . .

That held my bicep tendon sort of "in place" , . . . but unattached, . . . . making it look kind of normal in most situations, . . . which is why I could not initially identify the problem.

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## Chiselled

Hope you guys are all good just fully tore my right yesterday and got a appointment today hope i get surgery in a few days, im freaking out now about being inactive. Any tips to help with healing

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## Chiselled

> Hope you guys are all good just fully tore my right yesterday and got a appointment today hope i get surgery in a few days, im freaking out now about being inactive. Any tips to help with healing


Well got surgery yesterday on my right arm, he said clean ripped off my ulna and used a anchor to re attach. In a sling now bit better today, that morphine made me so sick but worn off now. Want heal quick im 37years old, might do hgh what dose and schedule should I look at. Thanks in advance

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## NotSmall

Tore my distal bicep tendon 2 days ago - bump for advice on supps for expedited healing...

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## Chiselled

> Tore my distal bicep tendon 2 days ago - bump for advice on supps for expedited healing...


get surgery asap, calcium, vit d, magnesium. I'm getting better but **** it takes ages

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## NotSmall

> get surgery asap, calcium, vit d, magnesium. I'm getting better but **** it takes ages


Trying to bud - got an appointment in 3 days time with an orthopaedics clinic which will then hopefully lead to an MRI and THEN to surgery - frustrating process!

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