Torn Bicep Tendon

[awbowman]

I know this isn't hunting but it's related.

I have a ruptured lower bicep tendon.  I'm being told that the only true fix is to drill a hole COMPLETELY THROUGH my bone, pull the tendon into the bone and let the bone heal around it.  It's estimated to give me 90% full use where if I do nothing I would probably loose 30% strength, mostly in a rotational movement.  So I would loose only an additional 20% by not doing the surgery.

Has anyone just left this type of injury alone and still shoots bows?  I'm leaning towards not doing surgery.  I don't like a tendon being where a perfectly good bone used to be.

Thx for any advise.  BTW, it's been 6 weeks and I don't have much pain and then only on certain movements.  Doctor told me to lay low for about 8 weeks so I haven't shot a bow in a while

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by awbowman:
I don't like a tendon being where a perfectly good bone used to be.

Well, that's where the tendon was when you ruptured it(attached to your bone)....

I had this surgery done in Dec. of last year, and I don't know if your doctor is a general doctor or a specialist, but I do know this, you are running out of time to have surgery and I'd suggest you get it done NOW!!!!

I'm going to email you my phone number.

[halfseminole]

Take it from someone that had it done to both arms: do the surgery.  Run, don't walk to the doctor and do it.

[Sean B]

X3..... Get a move on it!!

[bulldog18]

Get it done. I had it done back in 2006 and still shooting.

[DennyK]

I had it done too and glad I did. Ask for a nerve block after the surgery to help ease the pain until the pain pump meds kick in. Good Luck.

[Wallydog]

Its best to have it done before it becomes worse or effects the other things around it. An archer will achieve a lot more strength returning than a non-exerciser.

[stalkin4elk]

Should have done it weeks ago! You are losing everyday(atrophy) and compromising the result by your own stubbornness     . As mentioned you are closing your window....get moving now. I had 80% strength after my surgery in 3 months and a full 100% in 12 months and am very glad I got it fixed.I lost 2.5 months of work as well. I had the same technique you describe. Archery is a big part of our lives but not everything. For example, do you want enough rotational strength to change a flat tire? My friend can not change a flat, among other things, because he did not get his fixed and lost rotational strength. Our bone and tendons are amazing structures designed to be repaired/heal but you need to allow the repair to happen via orthopedics.
I feel your anxiety but hope you follow through.
Best Wishes!

[nova72]

Had it done in 1997 and still shootin at 67yrs old.

[smokin joe]

When it heals after the surgery it will be very strong. This is a tried and true procedure that works. Do what Terry said before it is too late to get a good outcome.

[monkeyball]

I guess I am lucky,I tore the long tendon on the upper bicep of my right arm. I was moving my log splitter from one pile to the next and got a little bogged down in a wet spot,put my head down and kept pulling. I felt and heard a pop at the same time,didn't drop me to the ground but didn't feel good either. My orthopedic doctor said I was lucky that it was just a tear. There is kind of a void where the upper part of my bicep is but we are slowly getting back to normal....whatever that is.

                                               Good Shooting,
                                                                Craig

[Holm-Made]

My brother had it done 3 years ago.  He tore it off at the bottom (forearm)  He had the surgery and has 100% strength back.  Was shooting a 45 pound bow a couple months after the surgery.  Chad

[Supercracker]

I had to have surgery for this exact injury last August. I tripped and fell, tried to catch myself at a weird angle and POP, bicep tendon totally torn loose from the bone in the forearm. After the pain from the initial tearing it never hurt at all so I thought about ignoring it. After about 2 weeks my girlfriend finally convinced me to go see a Dr.

THIS INJURY IS NO JOKE. YOU CAN LOSE USE OF YOUR ARM!

I went to the Orthro place here in Jacksonville. The doc who fixed me does virtually nothing but fix this injury on athletes.  The way he described it to me is that the tendon will coil up and the bicep will start to contract into a ball in your upper arm and PERMANENTLY HEAL ITSELF INTO THAT SHAPE then, after a year or so start to cause bad muscle spasms any time you try to use the rest of the muscles in the upper arm. Making it more or less unusable. He also said that every day after the tear the tendon heals itself into this coiled blob and makes the surgery slightly less possible and effective. So yes, the window to ever fix this is slamming shut!

You need to get to a Orthopedic surgeon that deals with this a LOT.

My surgery was to put 2 titanium pins in the bone in the forearm and then suture the tendon to it. Then 3 months with it totally immobilized then 3-4 months of therapy.  It never hurt even durng the therapy. After the PT it started getting sore when I did things. The Dr said it was the suture going through the muscle irritating it when I flexed but it would dissolve over time. Almost  a year later I'm just now getting to the point where I can do things with it and not have it hurt.

He took pictures of the inside of my arm during the surgery. If I still have them on my PC at the office (lost a bunch of pics to a virus)I'll post them on Monday.

[Dave Lay]

I broke my left bicep tendon a few years ago in mid October. I promosed my wife after the rut i would get it fixed . I shoot left handed but found I could draw my 60 lb bow by drawing with my back more than anything , I killed 3 deer with it broken , I waited longer than promised and went to the doc mid December   He was pretty pissed off that i waited so long . The upper part of the tendon had withdrawn so far he had to really cut me alot more than normal to get it. Due to waiting so long , He had given me a choice of a graft or tieing off to another tendon I took the latter, I now have a pretty large scar on the inside of my elbow and still get some pain and I feel I am weaker than before , 2 years later Almost to the date ( mid october ) i broke the right one , I went to the doctor 2 days later and asked how long I could hunt before affecting the repair he said 6 weeks max. so we scheduled the surgery but I couldn't shoot a bow this time , this time  he used a new technique where they set a anchor in your fore arm and fasten the tendon to that which is probably the same thing supercracker had done , this left 2 small scars and a much better repair. I feel I am close to 100% with this arm and maybe 75 % with the left one .... But I severed both of mine,    Bottom line get it fixed ASAP. You might ask about  the anchor technique , Delaying it will only  complicate matters.            Good luck. Shoot me a pm if I can help in any way!

[centaur]

I tore mine several years ago, evidently not as badly as some on this thread, because I didn't have the surgery and recovered most of my strength in a few months. My bicep looks weird now, but still functions fine. It was my left arm, so it is my bow arm, and I have no problems shooting, although at the time, I was shooting 60 pounds comfortably, and now I am at 55 pounds.

[awbowman]

Feeling the same way Centaur.  I don't hurt any more than I used to after a workout.   Shot a 3-d round yesterday no problems at all.   Even pulled a few arrows out with the left hand.  I guess I'm gun shy on a surgery that involves the bone.  I have had two people I know get an infection.  One on a knee replacement, one on an elbow surgery.  Can't yet see the risk outweighing the reward.  If I tore it worst or another tendon then I'd have to fix it.

I'll test it some more today working at the camp, maybe I'll change my mind.

[awbowman]

On a local website I'm on it's about 70/30 on the people who have NOT had the surgery.  All have a little loss of strength but no one is saying they regret not having it operated on.

I had one guy that did have the surgery have a long hard recovery.

This is not to be negative to the people who are recommending the surgery.  I respect and sincerely appreciate y'all comments.  If anything I am a little closer in opting for the surgery.  

Again thanks to everyone who has commented.  I guess the single important thing I am realizing is that the degree of damage and repair varies greatly from one person to another and must factor into every decision.

Now let's talk hunting.

[sgrogg]

Torn or ruptured? Mine was ruptured, in other words completely detached from the bone.  Within a couple months of the surgery I was right as rain.  If yours is only torn it might be a different story, I don't know...I'm not a Doc.

[maxwell]

I have torn both of my bicep tendons- doc told me same thing will still have around 90% strength.  I chose not to do the surgery and after 4 years I don't regret at all, sometimes certain movements in the flexor plane hurt a little but pain only lasts 2 seconds or so when you relax.  I shoot bows around 50# almost everyday and notice zero weakness. At 64 years old I don't need to be stronger just smarter.

[monkeyball]

Reading these posts it is evident that all bicep injures are not created equal.

  You have a tear and then you have a rupture,another words picture a moderate cut on your finger and your finger cut through. Needless to say,the severed finger is going to need much different treatment if you want to use it again.

  Location is also a big "Do I need to have surgery on this" factor. It sounds as though a lot of guys mess it up down at the elbow and they need medical attention promptly.

 On the upper side ,or shoulder area,of the bicep you have two tendons hooking it up. A long and a short. It is almost always the "long" one that gets messed up as it also runs in through the shoulder and sees lots of use. That is the one I tore.

  It still lets me know it is there and I have a bit of a void where my upper bicep use to be full. Time will heal, and hopefully tell if it is all going to work out.

                                     Good Shooting,
                                                       Craig