Bicep tendon repair?

[Steve Jr]

Last Wednesday I had my bicep tendon screwed back to where it belongs. It's my drawing arm. If anyone has had this surgery, how long was your recovery and how long was it before you were able to shoot again? Just wondering about how long I'm going to be down.

[nashoba]

Steve I had the surgery on 12/16/13 and I was out deer hunting with a 58 lbs longbow in October of 2014. This was the second surgery in eight years on the same shoulder, the first surgery was for a different issue . The best advice I can give you is find a good physical therapist and do as they tell you.

[nashoba]

Steve I just saw from your profile that you are a union carpenter so am I.

[Steve Jr]

I sure am Alex, I tore my tendon installing a 7'x7' window. It was in a attempt to keep it from falling out of the opening which I did,but injured myself in the process. I hope I can be shooting in a few months.
Thanks for your info Brother    

[nashoba]

Good luck I'm sure you will be back at it  no time. I've worked most of my career doing form work and at 52 years old its finally caught up to me I had back surgery recently and am being told that I will never return to that line of work, still holding out hope at least i can still draw a bow lol.

[Pine]

Hopefully you have a speedy recovery .

[Sean B]

I had it done to my drawing arm, as well as an AC joint resection, an achromiumplasty and a rotator cuff repair back in the spring of '02. I was in my treestand for the opener of bow season. If I remember correctly, I was shooting by mid July.

[Steve Jr]

Man Sean, that sounds like a lot! I will tell ya construction is tough on a Mans body. But that's just part of the business. I just turned 50 in May and I have been feeling it lately. Life goes by quick. Thanks for the well wishes Graps.

[Terry Johnston]

My bicep tendon was torn where it attaches to my labrum. called a slap tear. I had it repaired may 3rd. My doctor told me last week I could start shooting first of September, so basically 4 months.
As others have said, very important to do your P T. Good luck.....

[J. Holden]

Have a coworker who tore his while on his side job, amateur wrestler.  He was out 6 months (surgery and rehab) if I remember. He doesn't shoot bows but we are firemen and he was back to work.  Pretty sure if he was released for work then he could have shot a bow.

Good luck with your surgery and recovery.

Jeremy

[Sean B]

Originally posted by Steve Jr:
Man Sean, that sounds like a lot! I will tell ya construction is tough on a Mans body. But that's just part of the business. I just turned 50 in May and I have been feeling it lately. Life goes by quick. Thanks for the well wishes Graps.

Yea Steve, power lifting and playing football from the age of 9 to 27 did a number on me. I just turned 48 in May and I feel "it" every day!!!  I have to have my left shoulder done, It doesn't hurt when I shoot, so I'm going to hold off as long as I can. Good luck

[achigan]

Sean, having had 3 rotator cuff repairs, I can say healing goes faster, and BETTER, the younger you are. JMHO

[Steve Jr]

I will not see the Dr until next Friday then hopefully start therapy the following week. He said it looked like I may have had some tendonitis before this happened so he wanted me to give it a little extra time to heal before I did Any P/T. We will see

[calgarychef]

It took me well over 6 months before I could even start to think about drawing a bow.

[Steve Jr]

Wow Tracy, I sure hope it doesn't take that long.

[Colotrad]

I had rotator cuff and bicep tendon done in late January and was pulling my 55# bow by early May.  I was 51 yrs old at the time.  The trick is to do exactly what the Dr. and Physical therapist tell you to.  Don't push it or it will weaken or tear again.

[George Vernon]

Steve,
Best source of information will be your surgeon.  Dr. knows the full nature of your repair, but may not know much about the mechanics of archery.  So fill him/her in and see what they say.  Follow the advice carefully.  Do over surgery may not be an option.

[jr1959]

Hey buddy, get well soon and continue that PT at home, ill give you a call later. Jim

[Steve Jr]

Thanks Jimmy, I will stick with it once they start me on it.

[Dave Lay]

Ive broken both of mine in separate accidents, both hunting related with complete separation on each at the elbow area.. the first was my left arm and I did it October 20th a few years ago. I shoot left handed and we were nearing the rut. I knew what I had done by the POP and muscle balling up, but like a DA I found I could still draw my 63 lb recurve by hooking the string and just using my back and shoulder to draw, it hurt but not bad. I did kill 3 deer with it broken. Climbing a tree was a different story,that hurt and forced me to do it 1 handed, and ground hunt.  I waited on the repair until late December, after the rut to go to the orthopedic surgeon, who I have used in the past and had a good relationship with.. anyway he wore me out for waiting so long, the tendon had withdrew up to my shoulder and I have a heck of a scar where he had to retrieve it and make the repair. I was back to shooting in about 3 months. Then the 2nd break was a couple years later on my right arm, on almost the same date, same deal, the pop and muscle balling up .. I went to the Doc the following week and asked how long I could wait on the repair, he told me 6 weeks max, it was my right arm, which is my bow arm. this created a issue as the bow's recoil even though unnoticeable normally it was just to painful to shoot. so I just guided my wife and had the surgery 6 weeks later. Recovery was again about 3 months.. I still have issues with my left bicep when I pull or twist it just right, and have lost strength in both arms with some deformity in both biceps,   good luck to ya, as others have said listen listen to your doc...
  its a big deal but not a huge one .. oh  im 62 yrs old if that makes any difference  Dave