Surgery Tuesday

[Sparky]

Distal bicep tendon rupture? I did that in 2013 . . . sucked. Do you know what kind of repair is being done (endobutton or suture anchor)? The reason they move fast is that the tendon starts to retract and scar pretty much from the get-go, so they like to get in and repair ASAP to get the best outcome.

This site has a ton of good info on the injury, recovery and rehab. Let me know if you have any questions and I can try to answer.

http://tendonsurgeryinfo.com/distalbiceps/index.php

They said the button surgery

[Ramsker]

They said the button surgery

OK . . . that's the most common and has the "fastest" initial recovery (has the highest immediate strength of repair) and allows a bit less conservative rehab vs suture anchor, which is what I had done so mine was a bit slower and more conservative. But yeah, you'll pretty much be limited to not much of anything the first month post-op and will probably be in a ROM brace that will gradually get extended. Probably limited to not much heavier than a cup of coffee or a bit more when that comes off and gradual rehab and lifting after that.

Definitiely get into the PT and follow their instructions. It's kind of a slow, frustrating recovery and expect several months of taking it steady. Once you get going on the rehab it comes back pretty fast. Probably 6 - 12 months to get back to unrestricted activity (like 100% back to normal for strength and lifting/stress).

Mine after the injury (popped in jujitsu)



Post-cast-removal atrophy on the left . . . rehab progress by Jan.

[Sparky]

OK . . . that's the most common and has the "fastest" initial recovery (has the highest immediate strength of repair) and allows a bit less conservative rehab vs suture anchor, which is what I had done so mine was a bit slower and more conservative. But yeah, you'll pretty much be limited to not much of anything the first month post-op and will probably be in a ROM brace that will gradually get extended. Probably limited to not much heavier than a cup of coffee or a bit more when that comes off and gradual rehab and lifting after that.

Definitiely get into the PT and follow their instructions. It's kind of a slow, frustrating recovery and expect several months of taking it steady. Once you get going on the rehab it comes back pretty fast. Probably 6 - 12 months to get back to unrestricted activity (like 100% back to normal for strength and lifting/stress).

Will I be able to drive? Raising my son on my own so it's a must.

[Ramsker]

Will I be able to drive? Raising my son on my own so it's a must.

Which arm was it and was it your dominant arm? Do you drive an automatic or a stick?

I tore my right . . . dominat arm. So I became left-handed overnight and that was tough because I do a ton of computer work. Had to figure out how to use a mouse left-handed and type one-handed (pretty much) one-handed til my cast came off. Although I did figure out how to hold a pencil upside down with the right hand and could type with the eraser, LOL. You won't have a cast most likely--maybe a temporary brace/splint/bandage for a week or two and then a brace I would guess. So you will have a little more mobility than I did--which is good.

Driving one handed wasn't a huge problem for me because I have an automatic and drove left handed. Once I got the car started I could manage to shift into gears left handed with a little practice. Wasn't easy but I drove myself around a few days after the surgery with the temporary brace on and then to/from my appointment to get the cast on.

The big thing post op is avoiding sudden impacts and weight bearing that stresses the repair site while the tendon is healing back to the tuberosity. Re-rutures are far more rare with the endobutton but you have to be really protective of it for that first couple months.

[Sparky]

Which arm was it and was it your dominant arm? Do you drive an automatic or a stick?

I tore my right . . . dominat arm. So I became left-handed overnight and that was tough because I do a ton of computer work. Had to figure out how to use a mouse left-handed and type one-handed (pretty much) one-handed til my cast came off. Although I did figure out how to hold a pencil upside down with the right hand and could type with the eraser, LOL. You won't have a cast most likely--maybe a temporary brace/splint/bandage for a week or two and then a brace I would guess. So you will have a little more mobility than I did--which is good.

Driving one handed wasn't a huge problem for me because I have an automatic and drove left handed. Once I got the car started I could manage to shift into gears left handed with a little practice. Wasn't easy but I drove myself around a few days after the surgery with the temporary brace on and then to/from my appointment to get the cast on.

The big thing post op is avoiding sudden impacts and weight bearing that stresses the repair site while the tendon is healing back to the tuberosity. Re-rutures are far more rare with the endobutton but you have to be really protective of it for that first couple months.

Thankfully it is my left arm and I am right handed. My truck is an automatic so it shouldn't be to big of an issue.

[Ramsker]

Thankfully it is my left arm and I am right handed. My truck is an automatic so it shouldn't be to big of an issue.

You'll be fine driving, then. And you'll be SO glad it wasn't your right arm.