Thread: Torn Bicep Muscle

"I would rather not go under the knife if possible for at least 6 months"

A friend of mine in the US was a former medic and suffered a similar injury.
His surgery was deferred, and after a few weeks was told it was pointless now.
Perhaps you could check this aspect of your injury for inclusion in a treatment plan.
Good luck.

I tore mine lifting an 8 X 4 sheet of MDF. It felt like I had had an electric shock in the arm. It was quite painful. Went to the Doc and he gave it a long Latin name and sent mw out the door. No real explanation of what had happened and what I needed to do. This was about 2000 Shane Warne had done the same injury on the same day and he was operated on within 3 days. Surgery on my arm was never mentioned.

My arm is quite usable but prolonged shovelling, or strenuous action does make it ache and takes some time to be pain free. I do have to be careful moving heavy objects and assess the situation in more detail than I used to. A Pysio told me I had to be careful using the arm and that I shouldn't "overload" it. I am used to the arm now but from time to time it tells me that its not "happy"

Sorry to hear that Skot. Hope it works out for you.

Not torn bicep but torn calf muscle. I only worked out much later what happened , the main cause was because I was in diabetic denial. I was getting massive leg cramps at nights and one night about 1am I had a massive cramp in my right calf and I heard a pop and SHEER AGONY!!

I also urgently needed to pee (I was peeing about every 40 minutes at the time) so I tried to get up but I fell onto the floor and tried to wait for the cramp to subside but no joy so I stood up hobbled out of the bedroom across the hall and thought I tripped over one of the dogs but I most likely had another cramp and collapsed and fell through a plate glass door and passed out. 30s or so later I came to with SWMBO (who had the flu) alongside me - she had got up turned on the light and seen the blood and fainted. Meanwhile I really needed the loo. With blood dripping into my eyes I crawled into the bathroom and got up onto the loo. There was something sticking/fapping on my left hand and wet stuff running down my arm. It was a flap of skin and blood. My forehead and left arm still had glass shards poking out of them.

SWMBO pulled out the glass AND patched me up and drove me to hospital about 5k away. I fit right in - it was fri early morning and there was the usual gaggle of motor vehicle accidents, drunks, and fight victims so I fit right in wearing my blood soaked PJs. Noth the triage nurse and the doctors could not believe I was not drunl. One doc, am Iraq war vet, went off and brought back a gaggle of docs to sheo them how much damaged someone can do to themselves without being drunk.

The multiple short cuts on my scalp were "stitched" by grabbing and twisting hair on opposite sides of the cut and gluing then together with superglue. X-rays, tests and 27 stitches, and meters of bandages later they said I could go home. I told them I couldn't give a rats about the cuts but it was my leg that was really hurting and that I was probably diabetic. The docs told me to go to the GP for those conditions.

That following Monday (looking like someone who had lost a major boxing match) I went to QLD on business - leg still very sore and still needing to pee every 40 minutes. Teh locals were shocked that I would bother to come after that event, Anway I got through that but felt dreadful on the flights - I thought I had a massive flu.

The following Friday I went to the GP for stitches removal and asked to be tested and was diagnosed as type two diabetic. The pills for this gave me instant relief and instead of peeing every 40 minutes it was every 2 hours so at least I could get some sleep.

The following Monnday I went for a Ultrasound and they found a 2cm long DVT in my right leg.
6 weeks with my leg up and trying to do work from home.
That leg has never been the same and still gives me the pips. The circulation in that leg is also problematic.

Needs to be fixed soon or not at all. Easy to repair in first 10 days as blood is easy to follow down to the attachment on the radius bone. I do it through 1x4cm transverse cut but might need 2 incisions.

If not repaired you lose 30% of elbow flexion strength. More importantly you fatigue with supination (turning your palm face up) This means on the right you can’t tighten more than 1-2 screws with a screwdriver before being buggered.

My rehab is day surgery and you are in a sling 6 weeks, coming out to hold toothpaste/ cup of tea/ knife and fork. Full movement immediately as pain allows and lifting <5kg max until 3 months then no limits.

If you are pretty frail or inactive, reasonable to leave it alone,

pm if more questions

cheers pulse