Bicep tear

[LBrandt]

Risto. Getting old is when you have to slide off the bow of the boat onto the dock like a seal and crawl to the nearest post to pull yourself up to go get the truck and that was 4 years ago.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Originally Posted by Sluggo
I'm 50 some....so far all parts are functioning reasonably well. To you guys with worn out parts, did that happen because of general use, abuse, bad genetics or what?

All part of the job; repetitive motion. letter carrier USPS. Rotators are shot from sorting mail, first one rotator then started using the weak hand/arm. that one went too. First mail route was 11 miles walking daily. The guy on that route prior to me stayed on that route because he liked his customers. After he retired he went through two hip replacements and died not too long after. I got off that route as soon as i could in favor of walking only 8 miles a day. So for me it's all repetitive motion and wear and tear.

My rotators really scream at me when i lift something with full arm extension and palm up.. Doesn't have to be something that heavy. Just have to learn not to lift that way i guess. Lifted a half full of water, bucket of minnows the other day out of the back of my 3/4 ton box. yowzer!!! No daily pain with the rotators but when there is pain, nothing i have in the med cabinet knocks it out. Knees do ok as long as I don't twist them. Not so good ice fishing this winter. So yea! should get those done. Hopped off the buddies boat this fall onto the dock and damn near didn't make it. getting old!!

yep , too much repetitive motion is the devil. They say if it don't hurt you it will only make you stronger , Problem is you build too much muscle in abnormal places and pulls you out of kilter .

 

[PrairieGhost]

PG...what were your symptoms with the rotator cuff? Think I partially tore mine over the summer but not sure. Haven't gone to the doc yet...playing the stubborn old guy routine right now. Certain movements hurt while others do not. I can still lift my flip over into the back of the truck but can barely lift a 12 pack over my head! Thanks...

It happens over time so you don't always notice it. I was lifting a backpack from the front seat of a vehicle into the back seat with one hand. It was only about 30lb, but the way I twisted to set it down I felt a pain in my shoulder and dropped it. It ached for a year but mostly went away. Then over the next few years it continued to bother and then get worse. It felt like my shoulder was loose. Like if the grandkid pulled on my arm it would sort of go chunk chunk in the socket and hurt. Then I could not sleep on it, then I couldn't roll over and in the end I was sleeping in a lazy boy chair, and could not reach anything above my shoulder. Enough of that I went in for surgery.

 

[ndfinfan]

It happens over time so you don't always notice it. I was lifting a backpack from the front seat of a vehicle into the back seat with one hand. It was only about 30lb, but the way I twisted to set it down I felt a pain in my shoulder and dropped it. It ached for a year but mostly went away. Then over the next few years it continued to bother and then get worse. It felt like my shoulder was loose. Like if the grandkid pulled on my arm it would sort of go chunk chunk in the socket and hurt. Then I could not sleep on it, then I couldn't roll over and in the end I was sleeping in a lazy boy chair, and could not reach anything above my shoulder. Enough of that I went in for surgery.

Gotcha...don't think I'm at that point but may have a partial tear? Will make an appointment next month and get it checked out. Think I may have another sports hernia too...had the right side fixed 10 years ago...think the left side is going. When you get north of 50 seems like something is always breaking dammit! Appreciate the insight tho PG...glad the surgery went well for you!

 

[PrairieGhost]

glad the surgery went well for you!

I think I was either exceptionally lucky, or the knees hurt so much I don't notice the shoulder. A monthly checkup the doctor asked me how is the pain. I said I have none. He gave me a funny look, but I had a little the day after and that was about it. The tear was more than they thought because the inflamation kept the MRI from seeing things clearly. Yet because it wasn't torn towards the front of the shoulder they were able to do the whole surgery with scoping. Some tendons had been torn so long the doctor described it as lassoeing and pulling the tendon to position and staking to the shoulder bone. That made it sound to me as if a person should no let it go to long.

 

[LOV2HNT]

I have decided not to get it fixed after talking with the doctor over the Bone & Joint Clinic yesterday. The deciding factors:
-Doc said I'll regain all my strength back in that arm
-Surgery would have been only cosmetic. Meaning if I had the surgery I wouldn't get anymore strength compared to leaving it be, I just wouldn't have the deformity anymore
-Wasn't looking forward to 10-12 weeks of recovery on my dominant arm, not including any PT that have been needed or possible complications with the surgery
-Can't notice the deformity unless my arm is flexed, otherwise it looks normal
-With a short sleeve shirt on you can't notice anything out of the ordinary even when flexed
-My shirtless days are behind me anyway
-I can start working out right away, but with some restrictions for the time being
Everyday it has gotten stronger with less pain, but I still do have some minor shoulder pain and I guess that is normal. I have a follow up in 3 weeks to make sure the shoulder pain has gone away. If not he may order an MRI to see if the rotor cuff was damaged when the bicep tendon tore. He thinks it's just inflammation in my shoulder and that's why I have some discomfort. Each his own when it comes to deciding on surgery or not, you have to weigh the pro's and con's. I'm okay with this decision.

 

[2400]

I have decided not to get it fixed after talking with the doctor over the Bone & Joint Clinic yesterday. The deciding factors:
-Doc said I'll regain all my strength back in that arm
-Surgery would have been only cosmetic. Meaning if I had the surgery I wouldn't get anymore strength compared to leaving it be, I just wouldn't have the deformity anymore
-Wasn't looking forward to 10-12 weeks of recovery on my dominant arm, not including any PT that have been needed or possible complications with the surgery
-Can't notice the deformity unless my arm is flexed, otherwise it looks normal
-With a short sleeve shirt on you can't notice anything out of the ordinary even when flexed
-My shirtless days are behind me anyway
-I can start working out right away, but with some restrictions for the time being
Everyday it has gotten stronger with less pain, but I still do have some minor shoulder pain and I guess that is normal. I have a follow up in 3 weeks to make sure the shoulder pain has gone away. If not he may order an MRI to see if the rotor cuff was damaged when the bicep tendon tore. He thinks it's just inflammation in my shoulder and that's why I have some discomfort. Each his own when it comes to deciding on surgery or not, you have to weigh the pro's and con's. I'm okay with this decision.

I have so many dents, divots, scars the cosmetic aspect doesn't even enter into my thinking at all. While you may not gain any strength will the surgery keep you from loosing strength and perhaps having a repetitive injury? The time spent now in recovery will be less then the time spent in 5-10 years.

I had my first bicep tear repaired and it lasted through another 20 or so years of abuse, the tear I have now is painful but doesn't limit me from doing much so I decided to just leave it alone until it gets worse. I'm 65 and limited in what I can do anyway but you aren't, so please give it a little more thought and maybe get another opinion.

 

[Fly Carpin]

 

[ndfinfan]

^Classic...one of my all time favorite movies...up there with The Godfather and Gladiator!

 

[LOV2HNT]

2400 The way the doctor put it was the ONLY advantage I'd have by having the surgery done would be I'd lose the deformity. Everything else would remain the same down the road. Chance of having a repetitive injury would be just the same as injuring my other arm. He made it sound like the only people they would do the surgery on is people who do competitive bodybuilding were having perfection is a must. Yes I could get another opinion but I saw one of the best surgeons in Bismarck who came highly recommended to me by my wife who is RN and has dealt with his patients and by several other people who have had him as a surgeon. I'd think if he thought the outcome would be worth the $$ and recovery time he would of steered me down that road.

 

[ardee]

Your doctors advice sounds about word for word as to what I was told in Williston when I tore mine. After an initial visit to the ER where they wrapped it in an ace bandage and seeing it the next day as pictured I headed to a specialist and after MRIs and checkup was told it looked worse than it was. They said all surgery would do is lay me up for a few months so just go back to work. Now my Knees are turning out to be a different story. I'm going in for one full knee replacement in Bismarck in a week and after recovery it sounds like I can start over with the other one. Its tough getting old but it beats the heck out of the alternative I guess.

 

[db-2]

The doctor should know and every case is different. It would appear mine must of been worse and it was a rotary and not a bicep, recovery was no big thing and the pain i had went away. So in my mind i needed the surgery and that's maybe half the battle in what the mind thinks. Just now i think about lifting with that arm and as i stated have gone to a cross bow. that weights on me but whatever.

Glad to hear it is the way it is. Give yourself a bunch more years and something else I am sure will pop up like it has for me. But still have my body parts (less a tooth or two, tonsils and appendix) and no pills for now. db

 

[Lapper]

I just had some bone spurs taken out of my shoulder and while they were in there they saw my tendon was frayed so they cut it and reattached. Lifting restrictions for 6 weeks are almost up and we can start doing some strengthening. Good luck with yours.

 

[LBrandt]

Good luck with what ever you decide.