Ruptured bicep tendon

[BrianfromTulsa]

just had surgery tuesday to reattach my right bicep to my forearm.  my question is: have any of you ever suffered this affliction and how did it affect your future bow shooting?

I know I'm out for 6-8 weeks but can I expect to fully regain my old bow form?

Dr. said this injury is fairly common in middle aged men.

[sgrogg]

I had it done about ten years ago.  It hasn't affected my shooting although I've, for the most part, always shot bows in the 50 pound range.  You'll be as good as new, just do EXACTLY what the doc tells you and don't push it.  Give yourself time to heal from the surgery.  Work back into shooting SLOWLY.  Good luck.

[sbschindler]

how long b4 you were able to shoot a bow in the 50 lb range ???

[sgrogg]

If I remember correctly, I think it was about 4 months.  You should be good to go next fall!

[Dave Lay]

I had mine detached the 2nd weekend of October this year, in a fall from a tree, I had a safety belt on but had a branch break, I grabbed a limb, eventhough I had a belt on, the arm caught before the belt and I haerd a loud pop, the muscle all balled up at my upper bicep,My wife wanted to go to the hospital right then as it was obvious what had happened, But I was drawn for Mcallister hunt 2 weeks later and decieded to wait on the surgery, the detachment was on my drawing arm, and I shoot a 63@28 bow, anyway I managed to work on it where I could shoot a couple arrows at a time and went huntin, I killed a real nice buck, then decieded to wait till after the rut to get it fixed, I was REAL weak and it hurt to shoot, but it was huntin season, long story short, I killed 4 deer and a hog, shootin with the bicep totally detached at the forearm, When I finally went to the doctor in the first week of December, I got the reaming of my life..from him, I had really complicated things by waiting and continuing to use the arm, the tendon had shrunk up so bad, he was going to have to do cadaver ligament graft, or tie it off short to another tendon, instead of connecting back to the side of the forearm, I didnt want the graft and he kinda agreed, but said I would never get over about 80% strength and would lose some rotation of my lower forearm/wrist, so thats what I did, I have a lot bigger scar than normal 'cause he had to dig the tendon from almost my shoulder, and streach it all he could.
    I was in a cast for 6 weeks, then a sling. I did all the PT I could and told the PT that I wanted to get back shootin a bow, he gave me some rubber band things I put in a closed door and behind my elbow to simuliate drawing a bow, this worked my back muscles while I was down.
  the Doc. said it would be June before I am back to as normal as I would be. but I have been shootin my 63# bow since April, it took some building up, and I am still a little weaker than before but I feel in another month I will be almost as good as new. If you are only out 6 weeks you are lucky I was out for 4 months and still cant do curl like excersises with alot of weight. Sorry to be so windy, but this really impacted me and I know exactly what ya are goin through.. holler if ya have any questions.. good luck. Dave  
here is the buck I killed 2 weeks after detaching

 

[Dave Lay]

one other thing, dont get down meantly, excersise when ya can, go for walks do a treadmill, whatever, get the circulation going, it will help heal ya physically as well as meantly! I only missed 2 days of work with mine. again, good luck.

[centaur]

Tore mine about 2 years ago and it is about as good as it is going to get. It still looks weird, and my strength is not quite what it was before, but shooting a bow is no problem (the tear was on my left arm, I am a right handed archer). Do as much PT as you can, and hopefully you can get back to nearly what you were strength wise before your injury. Hurts, doesn't it? Yeoww!

[BRONZ]

Be sure you follow-up with either Occupational or Physical Therapy.  Adhere to your precautions.  The biggest problem with any tendon repair is patients doing too much too soon.  You don't want the surgery to rupture.
You should be good-to-go in the fall!

[J-dog]

Do as the doc says, someone said it here. Best advice to a quick recovery. Knock on wood haven't doone that one yet, but my stubborness haas got me in other troubles! Not listening to a doc has made those worse. LOL

Prayers for you a speedy full recovery,

J

[BrianfromTulsa]

thanks guys, I feel better after reading this.  Got out of the house today.  I'll probably really try my wifes patience inthe next few weeks but am optimistic about the repair.  ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE STUBBORN MYSELF WHICH probably got me into this mess but should serve me well in recovery.

sorry about left handed hunt and pecktyping

[Bonebuster]

Listening to the doc is good advice.

 That type of injury is one of which I have never had the joy. I hope it goes well for you.

[hooflander]

brian as a PT myself the best advice is to listen to the PT!  Do evertything they tell you to an dont do anything they tell you to avoid make sure they understand your goals of going back to shooting.  They may not have a clue as to what it takes to shoot a bow.  I have had many patients with the same or worse surgery who wanted to return to archery and the only ones who didnt were the ones that didnt listen. Its a gradual progression but be patient work hard and it will all be a distant memory ( or a story on a forum) in a little while