Mark thanks for creating this video series. I'm 59 years old and in week 8 of my recovery after my Distal Bicept failed due to years of wear and tear water-skiing versus an accident back in July. Dr. said basically the end of my tendon was like an old rope that starts fraying threads where threads never re-attach and eventually the rope snaps. He is fully confident with the repair he made will have me better than new for next season. My experience has been very similar to yours as I was fortunate to go to a surgeon at WebSter Othopicts who are the Othro's for the Golden State Warriors basketball team, and Oakland A's baseball team. He has done hundred of these repairs. When I first insured my arm and had my initial visit to Dr. he suspected I tore my Distal Bicep but wanted an RI for confirmation. I then started watching video's and most of the video's I watched from other Dr's and patients was to be prepared to be in a sling for 6-8 weeks post surgery and then very slow recovery for next 3 months before you can return to normal gym activities and 6 months before you get the all clear to resume any activity. This made me pretty depressed I would be isolated to one arm for most of the summer and not able to start training for next years water-ski season until next spring. I luckily came across your videos and hoped maybe I could also start recovery sooner rather than later. I was super happy when I saw the Dr. post-MRI that he said he typically only keeps his patients in a Sling for 2 weeks and then typically will have them start PT in week three. My PT could not believe he did not want me in a brace or compression sock in weeks 3-4 and called the Dr. to verify it really was o.k. for me to start using my arm. PT continues to stress while I'm doing great continue to be patient and take a methodically steady approach to recovery that I greatly appreciate. When I had my follow-up at week 6 the Dr. told me to start working with my PT to resume all normal activities including clearance to use all gym equipment with the only restriction to only use weights that I can easily lift for 15 reps 2 sets with no strain on the injured arm which was fine by me as my entire goal at this point is just to stay moving. PT has provided me with some good guidelines on what gym exercises to focus on and I couldn't be happier with the progress. While I'm only lifting a fraction of my normal weights I can tell I'm making progress each visit to the gym and fully confident I'll be back water-skiing next summer with full strength. Again, reminding myself to be patient and stay focused on slow but steady progress. Again, your videos gave me inspiration it might be possible to start recovery sooner rather than later knowing each patient is different which has turned out to be the case. I'm posting this not only to thank you but to also encourage others who experience this injury to find a Dr. and PT that aligns with their goals and has a good track record of performing this procedure.
Thank you my friend 😊. It’s great to hear your story and how my videos gave you hope. Keep on rehabbing the way you are and you’ll be back water skiing before you know it. Best of luck with the rest of your recovery and I’m going to pin this comment to the top of the section so that others can read and be inspired by it!
I’m 10 weeks post op and have returned to work framing commercial buildings and throwing drywall every day. I have noticed some weakness still and a mild pain in the posterior of my elbow, but nothing severe. Seeing this video puts me at ease a bit. I’ve been very nervous about returning to work this quickly because what I do is very labor intensive on my dominant arm. It’s amazing how quickly the body can heal. I had full extension, supination and pronation back at around 5 weeks. Getting over the fear of re rupture has been the most difficult part.
wow this guy is no joke! I'm a PT in US and I'm around week 12 post the same surgery and thought I was doing well . This guy shows how quick you can get back to lifting decent weight . I am happy you posted this video it helps PTs like me know that theses repairs can hold well so soon after surgery.
Cheers for your videos mate,Im 52 and I ruptured my right bicep tendon,had surgery 9 weeks ago,have been curling and hammer curling an empty dumbell bar for the last week and will add a couple of kg at the 10 week mark,you've shown me that it's not as bad as I originally thought,really appreciate your work,and your encouragement
Mark, this was a great set of video's, I was looking to do something at home and went with your procedures. During my 6 week visit with my doctor I don't think he believed me when I told him I wasn't lifting just getting range of motion using your process was brilliant and it worked for me. I am a golfer and looks like I will be playing in a tournament at the 12 week mark. Again, thanks for posting this. Cheers
Hi Rob I'm so glad it helped you. If you want any further advice just get in touch through mark@fitnessgeezer.com. Best of luck with the forthcoming tournament 😊🤞
Nice recovery. I ruptured my left Distal bicep 6 years ago, and I just did the same thing to my right arm two days ago, I have surgery in 3 days time. I will be focussing much more on rehab this time around.
I’d fall more under the overweight 40y/o construction worker category rather than a fitnessgeezer but my ortho is saying he’d be happy to have me picking up 10# at 3 months post op. Far from what you’re soing here. Just crossed week 9 and feel like I could so more but continue to follow instruction. Hope he’s not taking things too slow. I really need to get back to it.
I’m not medically trained but it does sound like your surgeon is taking a conservative approach to your injury recovery. I was lucky that mine had trained under a very progressive teacher who believed being safely pro active in recovery produced the best results. I can only say make sure you follow your eventual recovery protocol religiously to ensure the best possible result. You could even enlist the services of a specialist sports physio familiar with the procedure, to ensure an even faster recovery. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Mark these vlogs are very helpful. I am week two of the same injury with repair. I agree with everything you experienced. I was wondering how would I heal and your vlogs have really worked to ease my mind. Patience and a positive attitude. Thanks
I know it was a while ago but thank you for this series of videos. I am 39 and now 10 weeks post surgery. Ruptured my DB playing rugby 2 years after I'd retired from playing due to not wanting any serious injuries 🙈 I watched all the videos the day after the injury knowing I'd need surgery, and it gave me hope. I was in a dark place and I thought I wouldn't be able to train anywhere near like what I did before, and the gym and exercise in general is my escape. 10 weeks on (which isn't that long really) I've just started to work bilaterally again and feeling good. Not lost much size and the strength is coming along. The hardest part is not going for it and to follow the rehab routine. Thanks again 🦾
@@robharding9410 Good to hear the recovery is going well Rob. Just be patient and consistent and there’s no reason why you can’t regain your previous strength levels and beyond. I’m living proof of that at 61yrs, stronger now than before 😊
Hi Mark! Your videos are lifting my spirits - pun intended! I recently went under the knife and seeing you training with ease is truly inspiring. Speaking of arms, have you experienced any power outage or movement restrictions since your injury three years back?
Thank you Ryan. Sorry for not responding earlier, I missed your message. To answer your question, I experienced no loss of functionality or power in fact if anything I’m stronger now 😊
At 12 weeks post surgery, I'm about where you are with functionality & strength. A lot changes every week. I wouldn't have dared do a push up at 10 weeks, but now I'm back to light weight lifting & feeling normal in my daily activities. I'm 48 & this is my first injury.
Thanks for these great videos. 52 and fit, but was injured 6 weeks ago, and still not 100%. Seeing this I laugh at how minor my injuries were compared to yours. Will to fully recover is so important.
Thanks codediporpal! Injury definitely becomes or common as you age as does the amount of time to recover from them. But with the right will and consistency in rehab you can definitely speed the process up.
Wow Great work I’ve just passed 3 months post distal bicep tear surgery & ive been recommended not to lift more than 2 kilos as of now allowing the strength to gradually grow & increasing the weight every 2 to 3 weeks. You’re lifting up to 40kg 10 - 12 week post surgery. You are doing really well, well done Hopefully your back to normal capacity.
Thanks bro. Totally back to normal now with full range of motion and strength. Slight bunching of the bicep but nothing I can’t live with. Each consultant surgeon has a different approach. As long as you regain full functionality that’s the main thing. Good luck
Thanks for sharing while you were progressing! I am in my 12th week and I was still wondering if my rehab/physio program is similar to other ones; it seems we are in a jungle where everyone says opposite things. Unbelievable how much different they could be each other! Anyway, my current program is exactly the same as your; movementwise I can do everything like before. Loads are reduced (I am a weightlifter) but mainly I can do all topical body building exercises (bench press, deadlift, back squat); I will wait one month more to start with explosive exercises used in weightlifting. The only thing that it is still boring is the sensation in some point of the forearm (a sort of numbness is still present) and a bit pain in the elbow (front squat is a bit tough because of this pain; I had reduce the grip width to reduce the torsion of the arm)… Btw, thanks again and I hope all of you who are experiencing this bad journey will recovery as soon as possible
Thank you for your contribution buddy😊. It’s true we’re not all singing off the same hymn sheet when it’s comes to recovery protocols. I think that is down to education and possible litigation especially in areas such as the States
Thanks so much for doing these Mark, they are a real blessing. I’m 59, fit and strong. I tore my distal bicep tendon training Jiu Jitsu, which I’ve done for about 7 years. I’m about 6 weeks out at this point. My physio and Dr. never had me in a sling from the beginning in order to “maintain some shoulder mobility”. They have me doing no-weight movements 5 times a day, and say no resistance until 3 months. I’m pain free like yourself, and have all my mobility back. I’m a little concerned about atrophy waiting this long, but you are very encouraging. I do however have a bit of a space between my joint and lower bicep that has my vanity fired up. Haha. Do you have a similar issue?(not that it’s important, function is paramount) Also, is the injury still living in your head, or has the confidence come back? Thanks for showing we older guys can still kick some serious ass. What are we gonna do Golf? Haha. You’re much appreciated brother.
Thanks Darrin Crowder. I totally understand your concerns. The key to my full recovery was patience, consistency and never going beyond the point of pain. As for atrophy, that's inevitable to some degree, but the muscle size and strength will come back in time. I too have a little gap between the joint and muscle. However it cannonballs the bicep somewhat and gives it more definition than my other arm which is bigger. When I'm training now I always concentrate on my left arm giving it more reps and load than my right and in some moves it's now stronger than my right. It's really about reframing what you have and making the best of the situation, not looking back and challenging yourself in new ways . Good luck with your recovery going forward.
Darrin I’m 7 weeks post distal bicep surgery as well and I notice about 1cm more gap in my recovering bicep compared to my good arm. I was told it’s just muscle atrophy from not using that bicep for the past 9 weeks, and that it will return in size and length once I’m able to get back to normal training. I’m trying to be optimistic but it’s disheartening seeing 28 years of hard work disappear so fast ! Curious to hear how you’re doing now that it’s been a couple months since. Hope all is well 👍 David
I'm 10 weeks post surgery from a bjj related injury (armbar) I'm interested to know how long it took you to return to sparring. I'm drilling at the moment but I'm getting the itch to roll!
Thank you for posting these videos. I am a new subsciber to your channel. I am now in the 5 week stage post surgery distal bicep tendon rupture at 38 years old. I am able to extend and seen to have a majority of mobility back in the wrist, elbow and shoulder area. I am eager to get back to lifting weights and performing body weight excercises. I have been doing a lot of jogging and bodyweight squats and lunges etc. Your recovery videos are inspiring as well as your other vids
Thank you Jason Shaw. Good luck with your recovery. Be guided in your recovery by what you can do by any pain you experience. Also keep up your grip strength with hand squeezers or hand grips. get a decent sports physio to set out a plan of recovery if you haven't already done so to maximise the speed of improvement
Great video did you have the Endo button or did you get the sutured anchor technique I’m really confused on which ones better having my surgery on Tuesday
Absolutely brilliant pal. I aim to be like you at your age, I'm 33 now. Currently doing the Ross Enamait infinite intensity 50 day programme. Great videos
Thanks Mike. Now you’re testing my memory😉. At 7 months I was back training muscle ups, so although I don’t remember specifically on the conservative side I would say at 5-6 months press-ups would have been perfectly safe for me to perform. Hope that helps. 😊
I'm in the process of recovering from the same injury and currently 10 weeks out from surgery. I am now to the point where my physical therapist is letting me start adding weights and resistance to my rehab. I'm up to 8 lb (3.6 Kg) in each arm which is very easy to do for me. Your video series has been very helpful to me in learning what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. How did you handle forcing yourself to take it easy on your recovery? I keep telling myself to go slow with lighter weights until I can get my next orthopedic doc appt in which i hopefullly get released to my own recovery. Thank you
Great question. I was operated on and guided by a surgeon who trained under the same surgeon who repaired the bicep tendon of Brian Shaw, the US multiple world strongman champion. Got him back to championship training in 6 months. I figured he was using the same protocols on me so why would I question or amend it. Never pushed it any further, followed it to the letter pretty much, and I was back doing muscle ups in 6 months. That’s why I never pushed it further 😊
Hi Mark, glad to see you're doing well. I ruptured my distal tendon two days ago, currently awaiting MRI results to see if I need surgery. I was curious if your arm returned to its normal shape post surgery as that and function are my two biggest concerns with this injury. I am 29 and fitness is my life and I plan to stay involved in fitness post recovery the rest of my life. Thank you
Same here. But since mine is pretty severe, they need to insert a screw into my bone since the tendon shortened in length. This happens when waiting for an MRI scan takes a while and getting the surgery set afterwards.
Hi there, yes my arm has regained all if not more of its functionality and strength. That's becaue I gave it more attention in recovery and carried that on so that have more balanced arms in strength terms. As for the shape, well my arms were not symmetrical pre injury and if anything the one I ruptured actually looks more bunched now and better in my view. Good luck with whatever you decide
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer thank you for your quick reply! I should get my results back in the next couple of days. If my options include surgery I am most likely going to go for it regardless of cost (I'm in the US) to avoid a lifelong deformity. Glad to hear you're doing well again!
@@thesuppcollector Fo me it was a no brainer. The tendon had fully detached and although it can be left that way you loose significant strength and functionality. It's usually a choice suggested to older people to avoid surgery and whose activities wpn't be affected by the loss of strength.
hi mark, thanks so much for this videos.my Distal Bicept failed due over straitening working on my garage and next week ill doing the operation to reattach in position.my doctor says that this recovery will take around 6 months and until the 3rd month ill not do any restrength the tendon. obviously im impress that you after 10 weeks are complete functional.dont you think my doctor maybe quite conservative?
Hi Hector, thank you for your comments. Different surgeons will take different approaches to this injury base on their experience and the actual injury itself. I will say I am not medically qualified so these are just my opinions, but my surgeon was very progressive and adamant that the fastest route to recovery was progressive activity and overload. This was based on him having treated many athletes which was why I chose him. Just make sure when you do get the go ahead to start your rehab that you follow it consistently and if you do I see no reason why you shouldn't make a good recovery. Good luck
Thank you very much for your videos,fantastic and helping/motivating me a lot especially as i am just 3 days post surgery through NHS. I am wrapped up pretty much same with the blue sling as you were. I am 40 and very fit and active. My problem is i was discharged without consulting my surgeon or any doctor so i did not get any knowledgeable info. Before discharged from the hospital (following morning) a physiotherapist visited me and took of my sling and told me to extend my arm do assisted biceps curls and this kind of crazy exercises every day which were extremely painful! She told have to do Full ROM every day. Seemingly she did not have much clue about the injury. Hope i did not hurt myself! Do you agree for the first 2 weeks have to protect repair and control swelling and limited moves only? Thanks a lot and keep up the videos please. Tom
Hi Tom H, thank you for replying to my post. You raise some vey good points. Firstly let me say that I am not a medical professional so if you are in doubt about anything you should always refer to someone who is suitably professionally qualified. My comments/answers are merely my own opinions based on my own experience. Remember we are all individual. Now you are at present, in the very early days of your recovery so to err on the side of caution is no bad thing. So never go beyond the point of pain. Pain is usually present for a good reason and to ignore it is to invite further damage. So if you are performing a move/exercise that hurts, back off or amend it so it doesn’t. That said, achieving a full range of motion is the desired goal at this stage. Are you able to curl your hand towards you so that you touch your shoulder. With your arm out straight in front of you can turn the wrist all the way round like the other hand, supinate, pronate? These are the desired basic goals right now. Don’t worry if this is not possible straight away. Slowly do what you can. You can use the other hand to assist you, but never to a point of pain. Gradually work these moves day by day, every hour or so for a few minutes. You will find over time your AROM will increase. Also work on your grip by squeezing a ball or other object. I invested in various strength squeeze stress balls and carried them around with me squeezing them every so often, changing the length of time and repetitions to suit how I felt. Again don’t overdo it, work to feel. For the first two weeks rest the arm up in the sling for much of the time, but remove it more and more each day as you become more confident. However don’t lift anything heavy or weighing more than a pound or so. I slept in my sling just because it made me feel more secure. In these early weeks the tendon needs time to repair it’s tissues, nerves and blood vessels, and to become secured to it’s new position in your body. So I felt safer having my arm in the sling for that time for pretty much all activities. I would highly recommend that seek out a sports specific physio who has knowledge of dealing with these injuries sooner rather than later. That may mean self funding, but it’s worth it. You don’t need to go every week as they should be able to give you a program you can complete on your own for a few weeks before you return . I would also recommend that you see your consultant again if possible. 2 weeks after the op was the next time I saw mine. Just be consistent in whatever you do and before you it know 3 months will have passed and you should be ready to return to normal activities. Anything else you need to know feel free to ask
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Thank you Mark Lidster for your fast reply it is really valuable for me and helped to put my mind in the right place, especially as my next meeting with the consultant arranged 3 weeks post op which is slightly long wait without any info! Im kind of able to curl my hand assisting with the other hand, but my bondage around the elbow does not let bend my arm fully. Supinate and pronate is very minimal this stage. Around my forearm and by my thumb still numb a bit and do not have full sensation, i think you have had same issues for a while? All in all Im very positive and motivated will work on that very slowly day by day, also started to search for a sport physio as well. Cant wait to get back soon and do my training. I was watching this afternoon some of your other videos, GREAT JOB really! Thanks again and will send update as time progress.
i thank you for showing your videos, i just tore my bicep 7/7/20 with surgery on 7/10/20.you video has giving me a easy of mine. i coach at utm and this is set back. but with you videos , it has made me feel alot better , i like your advise, thanks coach lester utm stregth coach
Hi Tony thanks for reaching out and I’m glad you found my videos helpful. For me having a really progressive surgeon and a rehab team that believed in being active as soon as possible was key. Plus having the right mindset to seeing this as an opportunity to improve other areas of my fitness that needed attention. Cardio and flexibility. Just never push beyond the point of pain and be consistent with rehab (daily). I carried a grip trainer with me everywhere. Feel free to reach out to me anytime , Facebook, or here. Best of luck with the surgery and recovery
Mark, my girlfriend sends her best wishes She loves all your vids Plus she s finally seeing progression in her planche You really do motivate her Someone has to I m a couch enthusiast myself
Mark, I’m 49 and just has a distal bicep rupture a few days ago. Having surgery next week. Post operation did you continue to workout your uninjured arm while allowing the injured arm to heal? Appreciate the great content!
Absolutely I did. There’s a whole host of theories out there that say there is transference of strength to the injured arm by working out the uninjured one. And thanks for the liking the content and good luck with your recovery 😊
I’ve read about the transference of strength. Happy to hear you were able and chose to continue to workout on the healthy side. How much size did you lose in your injured % based and did you lose size in your healthy arm?
@@murderdroneschannelcoolguys It’s difficult to estimate the % loss in size of the injured arm as I only ever knew that flexed and I was able to fully flex that initially but I would estimate around 20%. And none at all for the uninjured arm
Hi Mark, Really enjoyed the video series. I've got a proximal tear of the long head from a poorly planned rugby drill last night, I'm 30 and I'm genuinely really down about it - I've spent so long rehabbing different injuries and was just getting back into training. Really hoping my body responds well and I can make progress at the speed you are. At what stage would you have been confident using your arm in a sports context again?
Hi GB Hutch, I'm sorry to hear of your injury last night. I know how pissed off you must feel right now. But take it from me and my example that as long as you follow the recovery protocol and keep on top of the rehab consistently and don't ever go beyond a point of pain, you can expect to recover full strength and functionality in between 6-12 months time. Now the mindset I got myself into was, ok this shit has happened, but now is an opportunity for me to build areas that I was lacking in before. So I massively increased my cardio endurance, through running and spin cycling and my flexibility through yoga. The later will definitely help with lowering your injury rate in the future. That was on top of the rehab every day. I also carried a grip trainer every where and used that throughout the day on both hands. I also trained the non injured side heavily as there is a fair bit of evidence that this transfers to the injured side and keeps up the strength. You also have youth on your side. If an old bloke like me can recover like I did then you will definitely be fine. Good luck mate!!
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Cheers mate - that's the plan, get stuck into Cardio, focus on fat loss for the next months and get back to strength training when it permits. Really irritating injury to get though. I'd be hoping to come back in 6 months as a maximum but will see what the Drs/physios say. Enjoying your videos!
Hi Mark, I appreciate your videos on progress with bicep repair! Just watched 10 to 12 weeks. I'm at 20 weeks and able to everything at gym 🙏 just lighter weight. My questions? Do you have video showing normal tasks like taking heavy ac out of window or lifting something heavy like sofa. I'm skeptical I won't be able to do it. Thank you for your videos they inspired me💪💪 Mike
Hi Mke, I'm glad you found the videos useful. Tio answer your question, no I don't have vdieos of me performing everyday task, however take it from me I have been i.e. lifting heavy bed mattresses regularly, tables, moving sofas taking out the rubbish, moving heavy rocks in the garden etc. I'm also back to deadlifting 200 plus kilos so the arm is basically as strong as it was before 2.5 years down the line .
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Mark I am so glad to hear you are doing well!! As mentioned I am at 5 months and I keep testing more weight and you mentioned 2.5 years. Do you remember when you started moving heavy things like sofa, tables, AC. My Doctor says 5 months healed and now adding weight, but always very cautious. Thank you so much and God bless 🙏 you!! Mike
@@Providence_Guy I think it was about 6 months before I started moving heavy things around the house. I can't be sure and everyone is different, so be guided by your own caution and your surgeons advice
Hi. Thanks for the videos. I’ve just had my surgery on Wednesday. Did you have a previous injury on the same arm? I snapped mine after exercising and moving furniture but injured the same arm previously. I thought it had healed completely but there must have been a weakness still on the tendon. I hope my recovery is as successful as yours. All the best.
Thanks 71Gaviam. No my injury came completely out of the blue no warning. I've since learned this is pretty common for this type of injury especially as you get older, as ligaments and tendons aren't quite as forgiving, Just stick rigidly to the rehab as soon as you can and get a health professional on board who has dealt with this kind of injury before. Best of luck with your recovery
Hi Arturo Toledo, I got the injury when I was training for the planche, a gymnastics move I’d previously achieved 2 years ago, but had let slip (I have a video of it here if you’re interested). It was totally my fault rather than the training being too much or dangerous. I want to be open and honest here so that others can learn from my mistake. When I was training for the planche at 54 I never got injured because I maintained the same hand position and used parallettes. This time round I was switching between parallettes and the ground and critically when the injury happened, I turned my hands completely round to try to extend my lean forward. This was a huge mistake as I exposed and stressed the distal bicep tendon beyond which it had been trained for. I am already well on the way back to fitness and will resume planche training again very soon.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Hello Mark! I really appreciate you sharing your experience. I am glad to read you are better and that you are getting back on it :) I'm in my early 40s and thinking I'm starting in all these calisthenics thing a bit late yet I'm making good progress. I had little injury in my chest (just a strain/sprain) that healed in 3 weeks but that exposed me injury awareness and how important it will be for me to be mindful to push myself for more and more but at the same time, being conscious of not risking it too much I guess. Your story made bit curious about how this happened as I had been seeing your planche progression videos and since I will at some point get there, I wanted to hopefully learn from your experience. I think it is wonderful and kind of you to share your experience. You are probably literally saving lives (or at least biceps) in those of us who listen to your experience. Thanks also for sharing the specifics/tactics of what triggered the injury. So, when you rotate the hands all the way, your fingers were pointing towards you, correct? not forward, nor sideways?... I see, I see. I've been training with my hands pointing sideways... I've tried point them forward but of course that limits how much I can "go down"... I have been tempted to rotate them the other way so my fingers are pointing me as that feels like it'd let me go lower but thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you@@UserName________! It's reassuring to get such great feedback. I can definitely say that in future I will be using parallettes only as I did when I first completed the planche injury free. They allow the most natural and least wrist intensive position for the wrists
Nice video again Mark, I find it really helpful and interesting. Your training facilities are pretty good too - similar to my own set-up. I have a car port that has thankfully never seen a car 'cos it's full of my training stuff! But seriously... did you film yourself in front of THAT fence on purpose this time? ;) Subscribed by the way.
hello sir. I know this has been a long time ago for you but I have a sincere question. I also have a complete tear in my right dominant arm distal bicep tendon. I went to two orthopedists. The first did a quick supination and pronation of my arm and said yes I had a tear, He sent me for an MRI and it confirmed a complete tear. I then went to another orthopedic surgeon who also felt my arm and he is the doctor doing the surgery. My ONE question is this-- why am I not having ANY pain or a bicep that looks weird like propeye? It has been 5 days and I have some discomfort typing and turning my hand over and under but NO pain and No bruising. Is this normal? Please alleviate my angst over this. Thank you and I am glad you healed so well. I too love to exercise and have been doing it for over 50 years. I am 67. But I love feeling good. Thanks.
@@montemag To the best of my knowledge the bicep does not always take a Popeye shape post tear and sometimes there is no bruising. The standard test to determine a tear is as follows The test I’m referring to is called the Hook Test. It is a clinical examination technique used to assess the integrity of the distal biceps tendon. How It Works: 1. The patient flexes their elbow to 90 degrees and fully supinates their forearm (palm facing upward). 2. The examiner attempts to “hook” their index finger underneath the biceps tendon from the lateral side. Results: • Normal (Intact Tendon): The examiner can easily hook their finger under the tendon. • Positive (Torn Tendon): The examiner cannot hook the tendon because it is either retracted or absent due to a tear. This test is highly sensitive and specific for diagnosing distal biceps tendon ruptures.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer No one did that, but the first orthopedist made me supinate, apply pressure, then pronate, and there was plenty of pain. He said it was a tear just from this. But the MRI that I took later that day- showed a COMPLETE tear- so I guess that really sealed the diagnosis whether they did a hook test or not? Correct?-- I do have soreness though but no pain but definite soreness in the bicep itself.
I want to thank you for your previous reply. You are very kind for doing that. I only hope that I recover as well as you did. I am 67 and have been exercising most of my life. I not only enjoy exercising but I love to exercise. I am obsessed. And these next 4 months or so are going to be hard on me psychologically. I guess I need to grow up a bit or just be patient. I am treadmilling and hope to continue to do so with the upcoming arm brace. I also am doing light DB work on my left arm such as hammer and regular curls and presses and lateral raises. I also started doing bodyweight squats and some core work since it did not include my right arm. I just hope I can continue all this as I recover. I hope that by the time summer comes back 6 months from now I will be whole again. This has really taken a toll on my psyche. But worse than all this I have 2 very young grandsons that we see once to twice a week and I have cried plenty knowing that I cannot pick them up or play with them as I used to for the next few months. That is the real killer for me now. But thank you for your replies. I wish you well and health going forward.
@ Reframe the whole situation. It’s not what you haven’t got but what you can do and what you can improve. Concentrate on improving your cardio, flexibility and mobility, follow a proper structured biceps rehab program and just be consistent. In other words work at it each and every day. Then before you know it the time will have flown by and you will have achieved your goal of regaining your fitness and strength. Glass half full buddy.😊👊
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer as mentioned before you are a gentleman. You are very caring and kind. I truly appreciate your replies. And yes I will work on whatever I can to stay in shape and move forward. As the Rocky movie said- it's not how hard you can hit but how hard you get hit and keep moving forward. (I think I said it right--LOL). So again thank you very much and again stay strong and healthy.
Hi Mark, You are way ahead where I'm at with PT for bicep surgery week 9. We are doing 2 lb curls. At what point did Doctor clear you to do everything in video? How did you mentally get over fear of adding weight could ruin surgery? Thank you and God bless 🙏 Mike
Hi Michael, we all heal at different rates and are probably using different programs and guidance. So what worked for me might be different for you. I was cleared to do these exercises on week 10, but I had been working up to them gradually over the previous weeks. ALWAYS be guided by pain, if it hurst stop. Build up the weights gradually. It isn't a race. At no point did I ever think the surgery would break because of the graduated strength program I was following and my total confidence in the surgery. Plus I wasn't out to break records, but to gradually and safely increase what I was doing
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Thank you Mark for your response!! I appreciate the words of encouragement!! You make a good point if I'm making progress I'm getting stronger and have faith surgery and building muscle will get me back to normal 💪💪🙏 God bless and thank you 🙏 Michael
To answer your question it depends on what I am challenging myself with at the time. If I am learning a new calisthenic skill, then I will generally spend one day on the skill and related strength work and one day on cardio eg.running, skipping rope, cycling, cross trainer, versaclimber or anything that taxes my cardio/strength endurance systems. Working out 6 days a week if all is going well, 1 rest day, or two or more rest days if I feel overtrained. Every 3-4 weeks I take a deload week where I work out at 2/3 the level. Can't always be pushing it. If I am coming back from injury or a layoff I enter a GPP phase. General Physical Preparedness. This is where I will work out most days, randomly selecting workouts that tax all majors systems of strength, strength endurance and cardio. The workouts you mention though are great starting points for anyone wishing to get into calisthenics.
Having surgery on Friday, I see alot of different time lines on recovery, so what I can see at 3 months you where cleared to go back to lifting. At what time where you able to start lifting light weight. Thanks
Good luck with the surgery hope it went well for you., To answer your question I got back to "light" lifting at around 6-8 weeks. Check out the 3rd in vlog series to see how ua-cam.com/video/WnwbqXb1950/v-deo.html
Mark. Did you have any scar tissue after your surgery? If so, did you deal with it in physical therapy? I have a tiny bit that looks like a lump. Thx! Anthony Pro
Hi Anthony I was proactive in using any scar cream post surgery so I have a very faint line where the scar is . It was bumpy to start with but after using the following cream it disappeared www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004Q1QKGW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
hey, great page. i tore my bicep and will be 8 weeks post surgery in 2 days. what sort of exercises can I do. can I start rowing and dead lifting at 8 weeks?
robertino habib thanks. I’m not medically qualified and don’t know the details of your case, but I think 8 weeks seems too early to start deadlifting and rowing. What does your physio or surgeon advise? Do you have a structured rehab program?
Mark Lidster #fitnessgeezer hey mate - they’re sort of saying 12 weeks until I can start doing that. Recovery going really well. Got full range of motion and I feel like I can do stuff, but you and they are right- what’s the point in risking it over 4 weeks.... not a lot. Thanks man appreciate you!
Hi Vic Green, no I don't use any sort of steroidal type supplement either whilst training or in recovery. Quite apart from the fact that they come with many of risks of conventional steroids, I prefer to work out and recover clean. Thanks for the question
No@@VicGreenBitcoin, quite the opposite. In my work as a behavioural therapist and mindset coach, I help people utilize the enormous potential of their own mind to improve their physical and psychological performance without the need to resorting to drugs
I've always been told it's bad to flare the elbows when doing overhead tricep movements but you seem like you know what you're doing. have you heard that before? I'm going to be getting this surgery next week for a torn bicep. Thanks for the videos it's helping me cope with all the nervousness.
maneatingleprechaun yes you’re right flaring elbows is not recommended as a rule, poor form on my part. Hope your surgery goes well and glad you found the videos helpful.
Hey Mark. I’m 3 months post op. I’ve noticed a slight discoloration in my arm compared to my good arm. It seems darker like it’s getting less circulation. My therapist said it’s common after surgery to have discoloration due to broken capillaries from the surgery. This can last six months to a year. Did you ever experience this? Thank you! Anthony P
Hi Anthony, I did notice discolouration and bruising remaining over the first month or two. I would say if it doesn't clear up over the next few weeks get your surgeon or doctor to look at it just to make sure from a medically qualified practitioner. Good luck
Unfortunately Pedro I'm not medically qualified to answer your case and also have no idea of your medical case history. My best suggestion is to speak to your physiotherapist or surgeon and ask them about how to put together a programmed and phased return to golf. Good luck
@@pedrohizzle2835 I used to play golf pretty regularly even though I don't now or at the time of the injury. So based on my experience I would not have had any issue in practising my short game 8 iron plus off a mat or fairway surface. Long irons or woods I'd leave till at least 12 weeks and then not full power for another month just to be safe. But that is just me. Hope that helps
Hi bro thanks for the vid I'm 11 weeks post op and have not lifted anything with my left arm what so ever before my rupture I benched 250kg squatted 250kg and deadlifted 270 I'm really worried about lifting with my bad arm my physio and surgeon are useless telling me don't lift for another few months i really want to start again should I start with resistant bands ?
ROAD PHYSIQUE FITNESS first let me say I’m not a medical practitioner so any advice I offer here is just my opinion. That said I am surprised that at 11 weeks your are not lifting something in your rehab routine. Did the surgery go well? Were there complications? Did they use an endobutton with or without a screw? Where are you based? Some countries seem to have a more conservative approach to rehab. As you were lifting at such a high level before I can understand your frustration. Has your physio had real experience of dealing with these injuries? Does your surgeon have a good track record with these ruptures. Mine studied under the surgeon who repaired Brian Shaw’s bicep before he then went onto winning worlds strongest man. These questions will give me a better chance of giving you the right advice.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer yes brother the surgery went well the attached it into the forearm bone with metal anchors not the endobutton I am based in the UK Midlands area my physio has never dealt with this injury before and the surgeon has a good track record but has discharged me from his care in the hospital and said no lifting for a few months. I see the physio again this Friday. Thanks again for your help
ROAD PHYSIQUE FITNESS I had the endobutton surgery because my surgeon considered the anchor technique was not as effective. That may be why your team are being more conservative with your rehab. If I was you, at this stage I would find a physio that has definitely helped others successfully with your injury and can get you lifting much faster. Otherwise you are wasting your time with the current one. Again this is my opinion only, but watch my previous vids weeks 2-3 and 6-8 to learn about the exercises I was doing there. Do you have full range of movement ie can you curl the arm to touch your shoulder and can supinate pronate the arm without pain or assistance? The key when lifting now is to build slowly from really really light weights and not to feel pain. Back off if you do.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer YES I have full range of movement I can curl the arm pronate and supinate no pain no assitance I just feel a twinge in my elbow from time to time but can fully extend the arm u told the surgeon that my physio has no experience in this so I would like to change her but he said at this stage physio won't make much difference
Mark thanks for creating this video series. I'm 59 years old and in week 8 of my recovery after my Distal Bicept failed due to years of wear and tear water-skiing versus an accident back in July. Dr. said basically the end of my tendon was like an old rope that starts fraying threads where threads never re-attach and eventually the rope snaps. He is fully confident with the repair he made will have me better than new for next season.
My experience has been very similar to yours as I was fortunate to go to a surgeon at WebSter Othopicts who are the Othro's for the Golden State Warriors basketball team, and Oakland A's baseball team. He has done hundred of these repairs. When I first insured my arm and had my initial visit to Dr. he suspected I tore my Distal Bicep but wanted an RI for confirmation. I then started watching video's and most of the video's I watched from other Dr's and patients was to be prepared to be in a sling for 6-8 weeks post surgery and then very slow recovery for next 3 months before you can return to normal gym activities and 6 months before you get the all clear to resume any activity. This made me pretty depressed I would be isolated to one arm for most of the summer and not able to start training for next years water-ski season until next spring.
I luckily came across your videos and hoped maybe I could also start recovery sooner rather than later. I was super happy when I saw the Dr. post-MRI that he said he typically only keeps his patients in a Sling for 2 weeks and then typically will have them start PT in week three. My PT could not believe he did not want me in a brace or compression sock in weeks 3-4 and called the Dr. to verify it really was o.k. for me to start using my arm. PT continues to stress while I'm doing great continue to be patient and take a methodically steady approach to recovery that I greatly appreciate.
When I had my follow-up at week 6 the Dr. told me to start working with my PT to resume all normal activities including clearance to use all gym equipment with the only restriction to only use weights that I can easily lift for 15 reps 2 sets with no strain on the injured arm which was fine by me as my entire goal at this point is just to stay moving. PT has provided me with some good guidelines on what gym exercises to focus on and I couldn't be happier with the progress. While I'm only lifting a fraction of my normal weights I can tell I'm making progress each visit to the gym and fully confident I'll be back water-skiing next summer with full strength. Again, reminding myself to be patient and stay focused on slow but steady progress.
Again, your videos gave me inspiration it might be possible to start recovery sooner rather than later knowing each patient is different which has turned out to be the case. I'm posting this not only to thank you but to also encourage others who experience this injury to find a Dr. and PT that aligns with their goals and has a good track record of performing this procedure.
Thank you my friend 😊. It’s great to hear your story and how my videos gave you hope. Keep on rehabbing the way you are and you’ll be back water skiing before you know it. Best of luck with the rest of your recovery and I’m going to pin this comment to the top of the section so that others can read and be inspired by it!
Same approach with brace. I used it just for 3 weeks after surgery and than arm completely free to move. I hope you are on a ski water board now
I’m 10 weeks post op and have returned to work framing commercial buildings and throwing drywall every day. I have noticed some weakness still and a mild pain in the posterior of my elbow, but nothing severe. Seeing this video puts me at ease a bit. I’ve been very nervous about returning to work this quickly because what I do is very labor intensive on my dominant arm. It’s amazing how quickly the body can heal. I had full extension, supination and pronation back at around 5 weeks. Getting over the fear of re rupture has been the most difficult part.
Good for you buddy. I hope your recovery keep going well 😉
wow this guy is no joke! I'm a PT in US and I'm around week 12 post the same surgery and thought I was doing well . This guy shows how quick you can get back to lifting decent weight . I am happy you posted this video it helps PTs like me know that theses repairs can hold well so soon after surgery.
Its really Good to see that youre doing well. Good luck for the rest of the journey, Im Looking forward to your next video.
*Thank you Dracon Bacon!* Next video already in the planning stage 👍
You're a real good motivator! I'm an old guy from Germany turning 33 soon. You give me the energy to getting started again. Thank you
@Thracian King 😆
Sebo Ratata thank you! Oh to be 33 again. You are definitely not old bro. Plenty of time to get back on it. Good luck with your journey 😊💪
You’ve done an awesome job Mark. Love your gym set up. Real bloke doing real stuff. Hope you get back out there with your inspiring videos
@@paraworth Thank you buddy 😊🙏
Cheers for your videos mate,Im 52 and I ruptured my right bicep tendon,had surgery 9 weeks ago,have been curling and hammer curling an empty dumbell bar for the last week and will add a couple of kg at the 10 week mark,you've shown me that it's not as bad as I originally thought,really appreciate your work,and your encouragement
Thanks buddy. It’s great to hear that the videos have been helpful to you. Good luck with the rest of your recovery 😊
Mark, this was a great set of video's, I was looking to do something at home and went with your procedures. During my 6 week visit with my doctor I don't think he believed me when I told him I wasn't lifting just getting range of motion using your process was brilliant and it worked for me. I am a golfer and looks like I will be playing in a tournament at the 12 week mark. Again, thanks for posting this. Cheers
Hi Rob I'm so glad it helped you. If you want any further advice just get in touch through mark@fitnessgeezer.com. Best of luck with the forthcoming tournament 😊🤞
Nice recovery. I ruptured my left Distal bicep 6 years ago, and I just did the same thing to my right arm two days ago, I have surgery in 3 days time. I will be focussing much more on rehab this time around.
Good luck with your recovery
I’d fall more under the overweight 40y/o construction worker category rather than a fitnessgeezer but my ortho is saying he’d be happy to have me picking up 10# at 3 months post op. Far from what you’re soing here. Just crossed week 9 and feel like I could so more but continue to follow instruction. Hope he’s not taking things too slow. I really need to get back to it.
I’m not medically trained but it does sound like your surgeon is taking a conservative approach to your injury recovery. I was lucky that mine had trained under a very progressive teacher who believed being safely pro active in recovery produced the best results. I can only say make sure you follow your eventual recovery protocol religiously to ensure the best possible result. You could even enlist the services of a specialist sports physio familiar with the procedure, to ensure an even faster recovery. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Mark these vlogs are very helpful. I am week two of the same injury with repair. I agree with everything you experienced.
I was wondering how would I heal and your vlogs have really worked to ease my mind.
Patience and a positive attitude.
Thanks
Hey Jeff, really pleased they’ve been of help and reassurance to you. Good luck with your recovery 👍😊
I know it was a while ago but thank you for this series of videos. I am 39 and now 10 weeks post surgery. Ruptured my DB playing rugby 2 years after I'd retired from playing due to not wanting any serious injuries 🙈
I watched all the videos the day after the injury knowing I'd need surgery, and it gave me hope. I was in a dark place and I thought I wouldn't be able to train anywhere near like what I did before, and the gym and exercise in general is my escape. 10 weeks on (which isn't that long really) I've just started to work bilaterally again and feeling good. Not lost much size and the strength is coming along. The hardest part is not going for it and to follow the rehab routine.
Thanks again
🦾
@@robharding9410 Good to hear the recovery is going well Rob. Just be patient and consistent and there’s no reason why you can’t regain your previous strength levels and beyond. I’m living proof of that at 61yrs, stronger now than before 😊
I've just torn my distal bicep tendon catching my motorcycle.
I've added a few vlogs on my channel.
It's good to see your videos
Thank you buddy. That’s a nice channel you have there. Good luck with your recovery 👍😊
Just watched your other videos in your channel. You're a total determined man also with wisdom! Mad motivation!
Thank you Doodle Doodle, really appreciate your words
Hi Mark! Your videos are lifting my spirits - pun intended! I recently went under the knife and seeing you training with ease is truly inspiring. Speaking of arms, have you experienced any power outage or movement restrictions since your injury three years back?
Thank you Ryan. Sorry for not responding earlier, I missed your message. To answer your question, I experienced no loss of functionality or power in fact if anything I’m stronger now 😊
At 12 weeks post surgery, I'm about where you are with functionality & strength. A lot changes every week. I wouldn't have dared do a push up at 10 weeks, but now I'm back to light weight lifting & feeling normal in my daily activities. I'm 48 & this is my first injury.
Great to hear you for recovered well. Good luck with the rest of the rehab and you’ll be back to full strength before you know it.👍👍
Wish you all the best in recovery, you’ve a great channel here 💪
Kyale thank you!
Thanks for these great videos. 52 and fit, but was injured 6 weeks ago, and still not 100%. Seeing this I laugh at how minor my injuries were compared to yours. Will to fully recover is so important.
Thanks codediporpal! Injury definitely becomes or common as you age as does the amount of time to recover from them. But with the right will and consistency in rehab you can definitely speed the process up.
Wow Great work
I’ve just passed 3 months post distal bicep tear surgery & ive been recommended not to lift more than 2 kilos as of now allowing the strength to gradually grow & increasing the weight every 2 to 3 weeks.
You’re lifting up to 40kg 10 - 12 week post surgery. You are doing really well, well done
Hopefully your back to normal capacity.
Thanks bro. Totally back to normal now with full range of motion and strength. Slight bunching of the bicep but nothing I can’t live with. Each consultant surgeon has a different approach. As long as you regain full functionality that’s the main thing. Good luck
Good stuff. I got prolapsed back disc year ago. Evermore reason to strengthen the core.
I had a prolapse disc in 2014. It was dark n depressing but after 6 month I cycled from ozzy to Bolton. Don't give up. Core work is so important
@@jimmyhailwood1819 thanks mate. Appreciate your good words.
thisisbob1001 yes you’re spot on, strengthening the core is probably the best single thing you can do for yourself. Good luck with your journey 😊💪
Glad to see your journey to full strength is coming along well! Love the vids, big fan here from the good ol USA 🇺🇸
*Thank you Avery!* I really appreciate your comments
Awesome vid. You inspired me to film and share my own recovery journey.
Great glad it it inspired you bro!
Thanks for sharing while you were progressing! I am in my 12th week and I was still wondering if my rehab/physio program is similar to other ones; it seems we are in a jungle where everyone says opposite things. Unbelievable how much different they could be each other!
Anyway, my current program is exactly the same as your; movementwise I can do everything like before. Loads are reduced (I am a weightlifter) but mainly I can do all topical body building exercises (bench press, deadlift, back squat); I will wait one month more to start with explosive exercises used in weightlifting.
The only thing that it is still boring is the sensation in some point of the forearm (a sort of numbness is still present) and a bit pain in the elbow (front squat is a bit tough because of this pain; I had reduce the grip width to reduce the torsion of the arm)…
Btw, thanks again and I hope all of you who are experiencing this bad journey will recovery as soon as possible
Thank you for your contribution buddy😊. It’s true we’re not all singing off the same hymn sheet when it’s comes to recovery protocols. I think that is down to education and possible litigation especially in areas such as the States
Inspirational brother. Keep going
*Cheers Based Lukashenko!*
I hope you are fine now sir 🙏🏻
Thank you दिग्विजय I'm pretty much healed up now and back to being fighting fit 💪
Thanks so much for doing these Mark, they are a real blessing. I’m 59, fit and strong. I tore my distal bicep tendon training Jiu Jitsu, which I’ve done for about 7 years. I’m about 6 weeks out at this point. My physio and Dr. never had me in a sling from the beginning in order to “maintain some shoulder mobility”. They have me doing no-weight movements 5 times a day, and say no resistance until 3 months. I’m pain free like yourself, and have all my mobility back. I’m a little concerned about atrophy waiting this long, but you are very encouraging. I do however have a bit of a space between my joint and lower bicep that has my vanity fired up. Haha. Do you have a similar issue?(not that it’s important, function is paramount) Also, is the injury still living in your head, or has the confidence come back? Thanks for showing we older guys can still kick some serious ass. What are we gonna do Golf? Haha. You’re much appreciated brother.
Thanks Darrin Crowder. I totally understand your concerns. The key to my full recovery was patience, consistency and never going beyond the point of pain. As for atrophy, that's inevitable to some degree, but the muscle size and strength will come back in time. I too have a little gap between the joint and muscle. However it cannonballs the bicep somewhat and gives it more definition than my other arm which is bigger. When I'm training now I always concentrate on my left arm giving it more reps and load than my right and in some moves it's now stronger than my right. It's really about reframing what you have and making the best of the situation, not looking back and challenging yourself in new ways . Good luck with your recovery going forward.
Darrin I’m 7 weeks post distal bicep surgery as well and I notice about 1cm more gap in my recovering bicep compared to my good arm. I was told it’s just muscle atrophy from not using that bicep for the past 9 weeks, and that it will return in size and length once I’m able to get back to normal training. I’m trying to be optimistic but it’s disheartening seeing 28 years of hard work disappear so fast ! Curious to hear how you’re doing now that it’s been a couple months since. Hope all is well 👍 David
I'm 10 weeks post surgery from a bjj related injury (armbar)
I'm interested to know how long it took you to return to sparring.
I'm drilling at the moment but I'm getting the itch to roll!
How are you doing now?@@sol90m9
Thank you for posting these videos. I am a new subsciber to your channel. I am now in the 5 week stage post surgery distal bicep tendon rupture at 38 years old. I am able to extend and seen to have a majority of mobility back in the wrist, elbow and shoulder area. I am eager to get back to lifting weights and performing body weight excercises. I have been doing a lot of jogging and bodyweight squats and lunges etc. Your recovery videos are inspiring as well as your other vids
Thank you Jason Shaw. Good luck with your recovery. Be guided in your recovery by what you can do by any pain you experience. Also keep up your grip strength with hand squeezers or hand grips. get a decent sports physio to set out a plan of recovery if you haven't already done so to maximise the speed of improvement
Great video did you have the Endo button or did you get the sutured anchor technique I’m really confused on which ones better having my surgery on Tuesday
Absolutely brilliant pal. I aim to be like you at your age, I'm 33 now. Currently doing the Ross Enamait infinite intensity 50 day programme. Great videos
James Hailwood good for you!
Echaba de menos tus videos,eres una motivacion para mi,muchas gracias por todo,ahh,adoro tu casa,es un paraiso para mi.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you Jose Antonio, I will be making more videos real soon😊
Nice vid! About what week were you able to do push ups from the ground?
Thanks Mike. Now you’re testing my memory😉. At 7 months I was back training muscle ups, so although I don’t remember specifically on the conservative side I would say at 5-6 months press-ups would have been perfectly safe for me to perform. Hope that helps. 😊
I'm in the process of recovering from the same injury and currently 10 weeks out from surgery. I am now to the point where my physical therapist is letting me start adding weights and resistance to my rehab. I'm up to 8 lb (3.6 Kg) in each arm which is very easy to do for me. Your video series has been very helpful to me in learning what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. How did you handle forcing yourself to take it easy on your recovery? I keep telling myself to go slow with lighter weights until I can get my next orthopedic doc appt in which i hopefullly get released to my own recovery. Thank you
Great question. I was operated on and guided by a surgeon who trained under the same surgeon who repaired the bicep tendon of Brian Shaw, the US multiple world strongman champion. Got him back to championship training in 6 months. I figured he was using the same protocols on me so why would I question or amend it. Never pushed it any further, followed it to the letter pretty much, and I was back doing muscle ups in 6 months. That’s why I never pushed it further 😊
Hai mark you are amazing ....really 💪💪💪👍👍👍👌👌👌💖💖😃😃😃
Thank you Rafi thadathil Rafi, really appreciate that😊
Hi Mark, glad to see you're doing well. I ruptured my distal tendon two days ago, currently awaiting MRI results to see if I need surgery. I was curious if your arm returned to its normal shape post surgery as that and function are my two biggest concerns with this injury. I am 29 and fitness is my life and I plan to stay involved in fitness post recovery the rest of my life. Thank you
Same here. But since mine is pretty severe, they need to insert a screw into my bone since the tendon shortened in length. This happens when waiting for an MRI scan takes a while and getting the surgery set afterwards.
Hi there, yes my arm has regained all if not more of its functionality and strength. That's becaue I gave it more attention in recovery and carried that on so that have more balanced arms in strength terms. As for the shape, well my arms were not symmetrical pre injury and if anything the one I ruptured actually looks more bunched now and better in my view. Good luck with whatever you decide
@@FunKaYxxD1sCO I'm surprised they jumped in and had to do invasive surgery right away! That does sound serious, hope you get well soon!
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer thank you for your quick reply! I should get my results back in the next couple of days. If my options include surgery I am most likely going to go for it regardless of cost (I'm in the US) to avoid a lifelong deformity. Glad to hear you're doing well again!
@@thesuppcollector Fo me it was a no brainer. The tendon had fully detached and although it can be left that way you loose significant strength and functionality. It's usually a choice suggested to older people to avoid surgery and whose activities wpn't be affected by the loss of strength.
hi mark, thanks so much for this videos.my Distal Bicept failed due over straitening working on my garage and next week ill doing the operation to reattach in position.my doctor says that this recovery will take around 6 months and until the 3rd month ill not do any restrength the tendon. obviously im impress that you after 10 weeks are complete functional.dont you think my doctor maybe quite conservative?
Hi Hector, thank you for your comments. Different surgeons will take different approaches to this injury base on their experience and the actual injury itself. I will say I am not medically qualified so these are just my opinions, but my surgeon was very progressive and adamant that the fastest route to recovery was progressive activity and overload. This was based on him having treated many athletes which was why I chose him. Just make sure when you do get the go ahead to start your rehab that you follow it consistently and if you do I see no reason why you shouldn't make a good recovery. Good luck
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer fair enough. Thanks Mark. Very appreciated. Cheers
Thank you very much for your videos,fantastic and helping/motivating me a lot especially as i am just 3 days post surgery through NHS. I am wrapped up pretty much same with the blue sling as you were. I am 40 and very fit and active. My problem is i was discharged without consulting my surgeon or any doctor so i did not get any knowledgeable info. Before discharged from the hospital (following morning) a physiotherapist visited me and took of my sling and told me to extend my arm do assisted biceps curls and this kind of crazy exercises every day which were extremely painful! She told have to do Full ROM every day. Seemingly she did not have much clue about the injury. Hope i did not hurt myself! Do you agree for the first 2 weeks have to protect repair and control swelling and limited moves only? Thanks a lot and keep up the videos please. Tom
Hi Tom H, thank you for replying to my post. You raise some vey good points. Firstly let me say that I am not a medical professional so if you are in doubt about anything you should always refer to someone who is suitably professionally qualified. My comments/answers are merely my own opinions based on my own experience. Remember we are all individual.
Now you are at present, in the very early days of your recovery so to err on the side of caution is no bad thing.
So never go beyond the point of pain.
Pain is usually present for a good reason and to ignore it is to invite further damage. So if you are performing a move/exercise that hurts, back off or amend it so it doesn’t.
That said, achieving a full range of motion is the desired goal at this stage.
Are you able to curl your hand towards you so that you touch your shoulder. With your arm out straight in front of you can turn the wrist all the way round like the other hand, supinate, pronate?
These are the desired basic goals right now. Don’t worry if this is not possible straight away. Slowly do what you can. You can use the other hand to assist you, but never to a point of pain.
Gradually work these moves day by day, every hour or so for a few minutes. You will find over time your AROM will increase.
Also work on your grip by squeezing a ball or other object.
I invested in various strength squeeze stress balls and carried them around with me squeezing them every so often, changing the length of time and repetitions to suit how I felt.
Again don’t overdo it, work to feel.
For the first two weeks rest the arm up in the sling for much of the time, but remove it more and more each day as you become more confident.
However don’t lift anything heavy or weighing more than a pound or so.
I slept in my sling just because it made me feel more secure. In these early weeks the tendon needs time to repair it’s tissues, nerves and blood vessels, and to become secured to it’s new position in your body. So I felt safer having my arm in the sling for that time for pretty much all activities.
I would highly recommend that seek out a sports specific physio who has knowledge of dealing with these injuries sooner rather than later. That may mean self funding, but it’s worth it. You don’t need to go every week as they should be able to give you a program you can complete on your own for a few weeks before you return
.
I would also recommend that you see your consultant again if possible. 2 weeks after the op was the next time I saw mine.
Just be consistent in whatever you do and before you it know 3 months will have passed and you should be ready to return to normal activities. Anything else you need to know feel free to ask
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Thank you Mark Lidster for your fast reply it is really valuable for me and helped to put my mind in the right place, especially as my next meeting with the consultant arranged 3 weeks post op which is slightly long wait without any info!
Im kind of able to curl my hand assisting with the other hand, but my bondage around the elbow does not let bend my arm fully. Supinate and pronate is very minimal this stage. Around my forearm and by my thumb still numb a bit and do not have full sensation, i think you have had same issues for a while?
All in all Im very positive and motivated will work on that very slowly day by day, also started to search for a sport physio as well.
Cant wait to get back soon and do my training. I was watching this afternoon some of your other videos, GREAT JOB really! Thanks again and will send update as time progress.
i thank you for showing your videos, i just tore my bicep 7/7/20 with surgery on 7/10/20.you video has giving me a easy of mine. i coach at utm and this is set back. but with you videos , it has made me feel alot better , i like your advise, thanks coach lester utm stregth coach
Hi Tony thanks for reaching out and I’m glad you found my videos helpful. For me having a really progressive surgeon and a rehab team that believed in being active as soon as possible was key. Plus having the right mindset to seeing this as an opportunity to improve other areas of my fitness that needed attention. Cardio and flexibility. Just never push beyond the point of pain and be consistent with rehab (daily). I carried a grip trainer with me everywhere. Feel free to reach out to me anytime , Facebook, or here. Best of luck with the surgery and recovery
Mark, my girlfriend sends her best wishes She loves all your vids Plus she s finally seeing progression in her planche You really do motivate her Someone has to I m a couch enthusiast myself
Thank you Terrenc Howells
Mark, I’m 49 and just has a distal bicep rupture a few days ago. Having surgery next week. Post operation did you continue to workout your uninjured arm while allowing the injured arm to heal?
Appreciate the great content!
Absolutely I did. There’s a whole host of theories out there that say there is transference of strength to the injured arm by working out the uninjured one. And thanks for the liking the content and good luck with your recovery 😊
I’ve read about the transference of strength. Happy to hear you were able and chose to continue to workout on the healthy side. How much size did you lose in your injured % based and did you lose size in your healthy arm?
@@murderdroneschannelcoolguys It’s difficult to estimate the % loss in size of the injured arm as I only ever knew that flexed and I was able to fully flex that initially but I would estimate around 20%. And none at all for the uninjured arm
Hi Mark, Really enjoyed the video series. I've got a proximal tear of the long head from a poorly planned rugby drill last night, I'm 30 and I'm genuinely really down about it - I've spent so long rehabbing different injuries and was just getting back into training. Really hoping my body responds well and I can make progress at the speed you are. At what stage would you have been confident using your arm in a sports context again?
Hi GB Hutch, I'm sorry to hear of your injury last night. I know how pissed off you must feel right now. But take it from me and my example that as long as you follow the recovery protocol and keep on top of the rehab consistently and don't ever go beyond a point of pain, you can expect to recover full strength and functionality in between 6-12 months time. Now the mindset I got myself into was, ok this shit has happened, but now is an opportunity for me to build areas that I was lacking in before. So I massively increased my cardio endurance, through running and spin cycling and my flexibility through yoga. The later will definitely help with lowering your injury rate in the future. That was on top of the rehab every day. I also carried a grip trainer every where and used that throughout the day on both hands. I also trained the non injured side heavily as there is a fair bit of evidence that this transfers to the injured side and keeps up the strength.
You also have youth on your side. If an old bloke like me can recover like I did then you will definitely be fine. Good luck mate!!
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Cheers mate - that's the plan, get stuck into Cardio, focus on fat loss for the next months and get back to strength training when it permits. Really irritating injury to get though. I'd be hoping to come back in 6 months as a maximum but will see what the Drs/physios say. Enjoying your videos!
Amazing you're able to do so much so soon. Very happy for you! I have to say it...Please take it slow. :) You Rock!
chessdude67 thanks and don’t worry taking it very cautiously but still pretty much back to full function and strength 😊💪
Hi Mark, I appreciate your videos on progress with bicep repair! Just watched 10 to 12 weeks. I'm at 20 weeks and able to everything at gym 🙏 just lighter weight. My questions? Do you have video showing normal tasks like taking heavy ac out of window or lifting something heavy like sofa. I'm skeptical I won't be able to do it. Thank you for your videos they inspired me💪💪 Mike
Hi Mke, I'm glad you found the videos useful. Tio answer your question, no I don't have vdieos of me performing everyday task, however take it from me I have been i.e. lifting heavy bed mattresses regularly, tables, moving sofas taking out the rubbish, moving heavy rocks in the garden etc. I'm also back to deadlifting 200 plus kilos so the arm is basically as strong as it was before 2.5 years down the line .
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Mark I am so glad to hear you are doing well!! As mentioned I am at 5 months and I keep testing more weight and you mentioned 2.5 years. Do you remember when you started moving heavy things like sofa, tables, AC. My Doctor says 5 months healed and now adding weight, but always very cautious. Thank you so much and God bless 🙏 you!! Mike
@@Providence_Guy I think it was about 6 months before I started moving heavy things around the house. I can't be sure and everyone is different, so be guided by your own caution and your surgeons advice
Hi. Thanks for the videos. I’ve just had my surgery on Wednesday. Did you have a previous injury on the same arm? I snapped mine after exercising and moving furniture but injured the same arm previously. I thought it had healed completely but there must have been a weakness still on the tendon. I hope my recovery is as successful as yours. All the best.
Thanks 71Gaviam. No my injury came completely out of the blue no warning. I've since learned this is pretty common for this type of injury especially as you get older, as ligaments and tendons aren't quite as forgiving, Just stick rigidly to the rehab as soon as you can and get a health professional on board who has dealt with this kind of injury before. Best of luck with your recovery
How did the injury occur?
Hi Arturo Toledo, I got the injury when I was training for the planche, a gymnastics move I’d previously achieved 2 years ago, but had let slip (I have a video of it here if you’re interested). It was totally my fault rather than the training being too much or dangerous. I want to be open and honest here so that others can learn from my mistake. When I was training for the planche at 54 I never got injured because I maintained the same hand position and used parallettes. This time round I was switching between parallettes and the ground and critically when the injury happened, I turned my hands completely round to try to extend my lean forward. This was a huge mistake as I exposed and stressed the distal bicep tendon beyond which it had been trained for. I am already well on the way back to fitness and will resume planche training again very soon.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Hello Mark! I really appreciate you sharing your experience. I am glad to read you are better and that you are getting back on it :)
I'm in my early 40s and thinking I'm starting in all these calisthenics thing a bit late yet I'm making good progress. I had little injury in my chest (just a strain/sprain) that healed in 3 weeks but that exposed me injury awareness and how important it will be for me to be mindful to push myself for more and more but at the same time, being conscious of not risking it too much I guess. Your story made bit curious about how this happened as I had been seeing your planche progression videos and since I will at some point get there, I wanted to hopefully learn from your experience. I think it is wonderful and kind of you to share your experience. You are probably literally saving lives (or at least biceps) in those of us who listen to your experience. Thanks also for sharing the specifics/tactics of what triggered the injury. So, when you rotate the hands all the way, your fingers were pointing towards you, correct? not forward, nor sideways?... I see, I see. I've been training with my hands pointing sideways... I've tried point them forward but of course that limits how much I can "go down"... I have been tempted to rotate them the other way so my fingers are pointing me as that feels like it'd let me go lower but thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you@@UserName________! It's reassuring to get such great feedback. I can definitely say that in future I will be using parallettes only as I did when I first completed the planche injury free. They allow the most natural and least wrist intensive position for the wrists
Nice video again Mark, I find it really helpful and interesting. Your training facilities are pretty good too - similar to my own set-up. I have a car port that has thankfully never seen a car 'cos it's full of my training stuff! But seriously... did you film yourself in front of THAT fence on purpose this time? ;)
Subscribed by the way.
Smoggie ! Ha ha sure did 😉
Smoggie ! Oh and thanks for the sub!👍
hello sir. I know this has been a long time ago for you but I have a sincere question. I also have a complete tear in my right dominant arm distal bicep tendon. I went to two orthopedists. The first did a quick supination and pronation of my arm and said yes I had a tear, He sent me for an MRI and it confirmed a complete tear. I then went to another orthopedic surgeon who also felt my arm and he is the doctor doing the surgery. My ONE question is this-- why am I not having ANY pain or a bicep that looks weird like propeye? It has been 5 days and I have some discomfort typing and turning my hand over and under but NO pain and No bruising. Is this normal? Please alleviate my angst over this. Thank you and I am glad you healed so well. I too love to exercise and have been doing it for over 50 years. I am 67. But I love feeling good. Thanks.
@@montemag To the best of my knowledge the bicep does not always take a Popeye shape post tear and sometimes there is no bruising. The standard test to determine a tear is as follows
The test I’m referring to is called the Hook Test. It is a clinical examination technique used to assess the integrity of the distal biceps tendon.
How It Works:
1. The patient flexes their elbow to 90 degrees and fully supinates their forearm (palm facing upward).
2. The examiner attempts to “hook” their index finger underneath the biceps tendon from the lateral side.
Results:
• Normal (Intact Tendon): The examiner can easily hook their finger under the tendon.
• Positive (Torn Tendon): The examiner cannot hook the tendon because it is either retracted or absent due to a tear.
This test is highly sensitive and specific for diagnosing distal biceps tendon ruptures.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer No one did that, but the first orthopedist made me supinate, apply pressure, then pronate, and there was plenty of pain. He said it was a tear just from this. But the MRI that I took later that day- showed a COMPLETE tear- so I guess that really sealed the diagnosis whether they did a hook test or not? Correct?-- I do have soreness though but no pain but definite soreness in the bicep itself.
I want to thank you for your previous reply. You are very kind for doing that. I only hope that I recover as well as you did. I am 67 and have been exercising most of my life. I not only enjoy exercising but I love to exercise. I am obsessed. And these next 4 months or so are going to be hard on me psychologically. I guess I need to grow up a bit or just be patient. I am treadmilling and hope to continue to do so with the upcoming arm brace. I also am doing light DB work on my left arm such as hammer and regular curls and presses and lateral raises. I also started doing bodyweight squats and some core work since it did not include my right arm. I just hope I can continue all this as I recover. I hope that by the time summer comes back 6 months from now I will be whole again. This has really taken a toll on my psyche. But worse than all this I have 2 very young grandsons that we see once to twice a week and I have cried plenty knowing that I cannot pick them up or play with them as I used to for the next few months. That is the real killer for me now. But thank you for your replies. I wish you well and health going forward.
@ Reframe the whole situation. It’s not what you haven’t got but what you can do and what you can improve. Concentrate on improving your cardio, flexibility and mobility, follow a proper structured biceps rehab program and just be consistent. In other words work at it each and every day. Then before you know it the time will have flown by and you will have achieved your goal of regaining your fitness and strength. Glass half full buddy.😊👊
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer as mentioned before you are a gentleman. You are very caring and kind. I truly appreciate your replies. And yes I will work on whatever I can to stay in shape and move forward. As the Rocky movie said- it's not how hard you can hit but how hard you get hit and keep moving forward. (I think I said it right--LOL). So again thank you very much and again stay strong and healthy.
Hi Mark, You are way ahead where I'm at with PT for bicep surgery week 9. We are doing 2 lb curls. At what point did Doctor clear you to do everything in video? How did you mentally get over fear of adding weight could ruin surgery? Thank you and God bless 🙏 Mike
Hi Michael, we all heal at different rates and are probably using different programs and guidance. So what worked for me might be different for you. I was cleared to do these exercises on week 10, but I had been working up to them gradually over the previous weeks. ALWAYS be guided by pain, if it hurst stop. Build up the weights gradually. It isn't a race. At no point did I ever think the surgery would break because of the graduated strength program I was following and my total confidence in the surgery. Plus I wasn't out to break records, but to gradually and safely increase what I was doing
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Thank you Mark for your response!! I appreciate the words of encouragement!! You make a good point if I'm making progress I'm getting stronger and have faith surgery and building muscle will get me back to normal 💪💪🙏 God bless and thank you 🙏 Michael
@@Providence_Guy A pleasure Michael 🙏
What is your general strength routine?! Are you doing Reddit’s body weight recommended or gymnastic bodies?! Overcoming gravity?!
To answer your question it depends on what I am challenging myself with at the time. If I am learning a new calisthenic skill, then I will generally spend one day on the skill and related strength work and one day on cardio eg.running, skipping rope, cycling, cross trainer, versaclimber or anything that taxes my cardio/strength endurance systems. Working out 6 days a week if all is going well, 1 rest day, or two or more rest days if I feel overtrained. Every 3-4 weeks I take a deload week where I work out at 2/3 the level. Can't always be pushing it. If I am coming back from injury or a layoff I enter a GPP phase. General Physical Preparedness. This is where I will work out most days, randomly selecting workouts that tax all majors systems of strength, strength endurance and cardio.
The workouts you mention though are great starting points for anyone wishing to get into calisthenics.
Give us a gym tour!
Johnny Lira it’s on my list of vids to make 😊💪
Having surgery on Friday, I see alot of different time lines on recovery, so what I can see at 3 months you where cleared to go back to lifting. At what time where you able to start lifting light weight. Thanks
Good luck with the surgery hope it went well for you., To answer your question I got back to "light" lifting at around 6-8 weeks. Check out the 3rd in vlog series to see how ua-cam.com/video/WnwbqXb1950/v-deo.html
Mark. Did you have any scar tissue after your surgery? If so, did you deal with it in physical therapy? I have a tiny bit that looks like a lump. Thx! Anthony Pro
Hi Anthony I was proactive in using any scar cream post surgery so I have a very faint line where the scar is . It was bumpy to start with but after using the following cream it disappeared
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004Q1QKGW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Did your surgery require a cadaver? This video makes me feel super behind ahh
hey, great page. i tore my bicep and will be 8 weeks post surgery in 2 days. what sort of exercises can I do. can I start rowing and dead lifting at 8 weeks?
robertino habib thanks. I’m not medically qualified and don’t know the details of your case, but I think 8 weeks seems too early to start deadlifting and rowing. What does your physio or surgeon advise? Do you have a structured rehab program?
Mark Lidster #fitnessgeezer hey mate - they’re sort of saying 12 weeks until I can start doing that. Recovery going really well. Got full range of motion and I feel like I can do stuff, but you and they are right- what’s the point in risking it over 4 weeks.... not a lot. Thanks man appreciate you!
robertino habib good man, right decision, 4 weeks will fly 😊👍
Do you uses Sarms to speedup the recovery process?
Hi Vic Green, no I don't use any sort of steroidal type supplement either whilst training or in recovery. Quite apart from the fact that they come with many of risks of conventional steroids, I prefer to work out and recover clean. Thanks for the question
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer
You mad.. brah?
No@@VicGreenBitcoin, quite the opposite. In my work as a behavioural therapist and mindset coach, I help people utilize the enormous potential of their own mind to improve their physical and psychological performance without the need to resorting to drugs
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer Happy to hear that, I thought i felt some tension. Have a nice workout.
Won't last long in this job if I suffered from that Vic 😊. Have a great workout yourself bro 💪
I've always been told it's bad to flare the elbows when doing overhead tricep movements but you seem like you know what you're doing. have you heard that before?
I'm going to be getting this surgery next week for a torn bicep. Thanks for the videos it's helping me cope with all the nervousness.
maneatingleprechaun yes you’re right flaring elbows is not recommended as a rule, poor form on my part. Hope your surgery goes well and glad you found the videos helpful.
Hey Mark. I’m 3 months post op. I’ve noticed a slight discoloration in my arm compared to my good arm. It seems darker like it’s getting less circulation. My therapist said it’s common after surgery to have discoloration due to broken capillaries from the surgery. This can last six months to a year. Did you ever experience this? Thank you!
Anthony P
Hi Anthony, I did notice discolouration and bruising remaining over the first month or two. I would say if it doesn't clear up over the next few weeks get your surgeon or doctor to look at it just to make sure from a medically qualified practitioner. Good luck
Can I play golf at week 10?
Unfortunately Pedro I'm not medically qualified to answer your case and also have no idea of your medical case history. My best suggestion is to speak to your physiotherapist or surgeon and ask them about how to put together a programmed and phased return to golf. Good luck
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer could you play golf at week 10?
@@pedrohizzle2835 I used to play golf pretty regularly even though I don't now or at the time of the injury. So based on my experience I would not have had any issue in practising my short game 8 iron plus off a mat or fairway surface. Long irons or woods I'd leave till at least 12 weeks and then not full power for another month just to be safe. But that is just me. Hope that helps
Hi bro thanks for the vid I'm 11 weeks post op and have not lifted anything with my left arm what so ever before my rupture I benched 250kg squatted 250kg and deadlifted 270 I'm really worried about lifting with my bad arm my physio and surgeon are useless telling me don't lift for another few months i really want to start again should I start with resistant bands ?
ROAD PHYSIQUE FITNESS first let me say I’m not a medical practitioner so any advice I offer here is just my opinion. That said I am surprised that at 11 weeks your are not lifting something in your rehab routine. Did the surgery go well? Were there complications? Did they use an endobutton with or without a screw? Where are you based? Some countries seem to have a more conservative approach to rehab. As you were lifting at such a high level before I can understand your frustration. Has your physio had real experience of dealing with these injuries? Does your surgeon have a good track record with these ruptures. Mine studied under the surgeon who repaired Brian Shaw’s bicep before he then went onto winning worlds strongest man. These questions will give me a better chance of giving you the right advice.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer yes brother the surgery went well the attached it into the forearm bone with metal anchors not the endobutton I am based in the UK Midlands area my physio has never dealt with this injury before and the surgeon has a good track record but has discharged me from his care in the hospital and said no lifting for a few months. I see the physio again this Friday. Thanks again for your help
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer so what do you suggest bro
ROAD PHYSIQUE FITNESS I had the endobutton surgery because my surgeon considered the anchor technique was not as effective. That may be why your team are being more conservative with your rehab. If I was you, at this stage I would find a physio that has definitely helped others successfully with your injury and can get you lifting much faster. Otherwise you are wasting your time with the current one. Again this is my opinion only, but watch my previous vids weeks 2-3 and 6-8 to learn about the exercises I was doing there. Do you have full range of movement ie can you curl the arm to touch your shoulder and can supinate pronate the arm without pain or assistance? The key when lifting now is to build slowly from really really light weights and not to feel pain. Back off if you do.
@@MarkLidsterfitnessgeezer YES I have full range of movement I can curl the arm pronate and supinate no pain no assitance I just feel a twinge in my elbow from time to time but can fully extend the arm u told the surgeon that my physio has no experience in this so I would like to change her but he said at this stage physio won't make much difference