Distal Biceps Tendon Tear

7mm-08

WKR
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I have a distal biceps tendon tear (not a rupture), which was confirmed with an MRI last week. The injury occurred in May and I went to my sports medicine doctor early last week because I couldn't tame it with ice (4X a day) and Aleve for a few months. The MRI disclosed substantial edema in the tendon and surrounding tissue notwithstanding my early aggressive efforts to self treat. Had I gone to my sports medicine doc the first week after the injury, we would have contemplated a PRP injection. At this delayed date, he suggested rest with no tension on the biceps until I get to see my PT on the 27th. Please don't get on me for not getting into the doctor immediately - when you're 68, you live with constant pain if you train hard, which I do.

Has else anyone had to deal with this little hiccup? What am I looking at time-wise for recovery from this injury? Thanks in advance to anyone who has gone through this injury and has some words of wisdom.
 
I had a partial bicep tear in July 2022 that nagged me for almost a year. I experimented with BPC157 peptides and my issue was resolved in about 30 days. This was when the injectable peptide was readily available. Haven’t tried it since and have no experience with the oral peptide, but I swear that is what cured me.
 
I have a distal biceps tendon tear (not a rupture), which was confirmed with an MRI last week. The injury occurred in May and I went to my sports medicine doctor early last week because I couldn't tame it with ice (4X a day) and Aleve for a few months. The MRI disclosed substantial edema in the tendon and surrounding tissue notwithstanding my early aggressive efforts to self treat. Had I gone to my sports medicine doc the first week after the injury, we would have contemplated a PRP injection. At this delayed date, he suggested rest with no tension on the biceps until I get to see my PT on the 27th. Please don't get on me for not getting into the doctor immediately - when you're 68, you live with constant pain if you train hard, which I do.

Has else anyone had to deal with this little hiccup? What am I looking at time-wise for recovery from this injury? Thanks in advance to anyone who has gone through this injury and has some words of wisdom.

I am going in for an mri in a week for the same thing. My primary doc thinks it’s either a split tendon or muscle. What were your symptoms? I’m sitting on about six weeks now of hardly being able to flex my bicep. More of a nagging injury than something that seems like it needs immediate attention
 
At 68 and active, you're looking at 3-6 months of solid recovery with conservative care rest PT, depending on how much you push it.

Many in your spot see good improvement with PT starting now edema calms down in weeks, then gradual strengthening. Full return to heavy training often takes 4-6 months or longer some have lingering weakness in supination or fatigue if it doesn't heal perfectly.

PRP earlier might've sped things, but rest PT is the play now. Listen to your PT, stay consistent, and don't rush loads. Plenty of older lifters get back to training hard but accept it won't be 100% overnight. Hang in there smart management beats reinjury.
 
How did the tear occur?
To make a long story short, someone collided with me when I was late in a set of pullups. The collision was significant enough that it turned my body and caused a bunch of pressure on that arm. I did not feel a "pop" like some describe with a rupture, but I felt a tweek that I attributed to a pull of some sort. The tendon in the elbow was immediately weakened and there was pain in the top part of the elbow. I was done doing any exercises requiring biceps engagement immdediately.
 
I have a distal biceps tendon tear (not a rupture), which was confirmed with an MRI last week. The injury occurred in May and I went to my sports medicine doctor early last week because I couldn't tame it with ice (4X a day) and Aleve for a few months. The MRI disclosed substantial edema in the tendon and surrounding tissue notwithstanding my early aggressive efforts to self treat. Had I gone to my sports medicine doc the first week after the injury, we would have contemplated a PRP injection. At this delayed date, he suggested rest with no tension on the biceps until I get to see my PT on the 27th. Please don't get on me for not getting into the doctor immediately - when you're 68, you live with constant pain if you train hard, which I do.

Has else anyone had to deal with this little hiccup? What am I looking at time-wise for recovery from this injury? Thanks in advance to anyone who has gone through this injury and has some words of wisdom.
I would recommend BP157, but since the injury was in May, its effectiveness at this point may be limited. Laser therapy has been beneficial for me with a variety of injuries.
 
I am going in for an mri in a week for the same thing. My primary doc thinks it’s either a split tendon or muscle. What were your symptoms? I’m sitting on about six weeks now of hardly being able to flex my bicep. More of a nagging injury than something that seems like it needs immediate attention
Those were my symptoms exactly - with substantial pain in the top center of the elbow with biceps engagement. I'll bet you have a tear with pockets of edemea throughout the tendon and surrounding muscle (just like I had). I had a friend who told me to treat the affected arm as if it were broken and that rest has helped me a bunch.
 
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