Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Torn bicep tendon

No, it's not always necessary or even desirable. I had a partially torn biceps tendon along with a partially torn rotator cuff. The pain was enough to wake me up at night so I had to have surgery. My surgeon was one of the Broncos team doctors, and he's good. He gave me the option of re-attaching the biceps tendon or just releasing (cutting) it. You have two biceps tendons and you can get along fine with just one with no loss of strength in the biceps. I'm living proof of that because after rehab both biceps are equal in strength.

The advantages are in rehab/recovery time. Re-hab of a released biceps tendon is faster and less painful and like I said, zero loss of strength. My surgeon told me that it could make the bicep bulge like popeye, and there's a slight difference in mine but you have to look really closely to see it.

I injured it doing chin ups. Was getting fairly strong, but at 44 was probably overdoing it. Those pictures look painful

Tore both of my biceps in 2002 lifting a wood stove with someone who proved to be not up to the task. Once we got it off the truck I realized he was not able to hold the weight on his side. I controlled it to the ground to spare it any damage and ended up with both biceps torn. I suffered with bicep pain for years anytime I did any real physical work.

It wasn’t until I was working on the slope and the PA saw me rubbing my bicep. He asked about it and started me on a light weight, high rep work out. Just doing curls. I started at 5 pound dumbbells and would do five sets of 20 on each arm. Worked up to 10 pounds after a couple months at his recommendation. I never went over 10 pounds. I did it every day for about six months. I’d take a day or two off every week or so. Today no bicep pain. That was three years ago.

Dad tore one completely off getting in wood last fall.
It was just a twinge, a funny little hurt.
Then his arm into his chest turned black.
Imaging/docs...was told it would heal and be fine.
Surgery would be intensive, with no measurable gain.

They were right.
As Smokepole said, he doesnt notice any weakness.
A co-worker tore one off years ago, same reports as Dad.

44? Don't worry, once you get a little older, you'll be able to do 'em again.

Right shoulder long head tendon was frayed at the shoulder and ruptured about a week after cortisone shots (guessing around 2016). Arm turned purple from the shoulder to wrist. As you have 2 bicep tendons (long and short), the hospital said they no longer repair tears of the long head alone, so I was sent home. Cause was put down to repetative wear due to having worked in trades for a number of years. Twisting motions with screw drives / wrenchs. Basically my arm strength now is around 90% and I have full range of motion. Recovery was a couple of months and I was back to normal. Just needed to let the bicep find its new location and heal.

The funny thing is the tendon finally let go when I was doing dishes at hunting camp. The twisting motion - slight pop, bulge of the bicep (popeye bicep) and my arm started turning purple.

The only issue now is occasionaly the bicep will shift out of place -- rotates under the arm a bit and I have to massage it back up. Not comfortable but nothing to stop me from carrying on. Note having a bicep tendon tear at the elbow is a different issue.

As a separate note this shoulder had surgery in 2005 to repair and reattach the subscapularis tendon (strongest tendon in the shoulder - holds the shoulder blade up). So having full range of motion and good strength after both injuries I both down to being patient during recovery period and following a physio routine. Rehab was one year


Not looking for sympathy just giving more info --- I took a fall Dec 8th, slipped on ice and ruptured the supraspinatus tendon in my left shoulder. Basically this tendon is the one that controls lifting the arm vertical above the shoulder. I am now 6 weeks in and following a range of motion rehab plan for small tears that also occured in the tricep and bicep. In the last week I can now get the arm just above shoulder height and have good strength. If I get surgery it would be reattachment to the bone and a 1 year rehab so being retired I may choose not to do this. First thing before making a decision is for the other tears to heal. So patience and build up slowly on rehab.

You guys are freaking me out. I'm always in the weight room, but always warm up carefully before moving heavy weight. Turned 50 this year, but still pushing 300 on bench.

Dang, lapua. That doesn't look pleasant.

You get 3 things from Lap. Cool pictures, cool rifles, and body carnage. In that order.

Fûck, that must’ve hurt.

🦫

Tore a tendon where tricep attaches to my elbow last fall, full thickness but not all the way across. Had a bone spur that broke off. Sucked, did pt and took it easy and it’s almost 100%. Still twinges now and then, hope that goes away.

My brother in law had his bicep completely detach and curl up. That sounded way worse than mine lol.

Good luck!

This one never hurt at all. The torn bicep tendon in the shoulder and comple shoulder rebuild wqas a mother [bleep] biitch! 6 months to heal up.

Sorry to hear that.
I'll pray that it heals up quickly.

I had a tear and had a SLAP repair/bicep tendonesis in May 2017. It was my left shoulder that I screwed up doing my last full PT test in the Air Force. I maxed my push-ups out and should of just said F’ it. I still have issues to this day and though I lift weights, I go very light now. I wish you the best on your recovery. PT will be fun, trust me on this. 🤣

I had the same issue last April. Partial tear of the distal biceps tendon. Rehab for 2 months but it never healed. My orthopedic surgeon who repairs these often said that a partial tear surgery is a little more involved and sent me to a specialist in Chapel Hill. I had surgery in June and let me tell you, it is a long rehab. I've been back in the gym for months but the gains are slow but steady.