Started by Christopher Bassett 264228, July 4, 2017 · 7 Replies · 4,689 Views
Hello
I have just found out that I have a distal Bicep Tear and I will be going in for surgery in a few days to reattach the tendon. I'm feeling very down about this. What I wanted to know is if it's still a possibility that I can get to training on rings and learning crosses etc one day if I rehab slowly and carefully? I'm just worried my gst days will be forever impacted 
Hi Christopher,
Sorry to hear it. This is a great question for your physio but I'd like to think that with proper rehab and oversight from a good sports physio, you'd still be able to pursue those strength skills. Please let us know what their opinion is and how the operation goes.
Best of luck with surgery and rehab.
Christopher, I had surgery in 2012 to reattach the long head of biceps tendon (proximal end), repair a SLAP lesion AND a completely torn off (avulsed) labrum at the front, lower and rear of the glenoid (socket the humerus-upper arm bone- sits in).
I'm now able to do pullups, pushups, etc, including Bulgarian pullups (example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYQL8O2bCk4).
These are especially taxing on the long head of biceps as the elbows are away from the body.
Be guided by your physio, have patience, and know that when you load body structures carefully and progressively, they will respond.
Thank you Nicholas & Everett for your words of support. Surgery was a success and rehab begins in 3 weeks. I asked the surgeon and sports physician and they both said I will be back to gst training like nothing ever happened within 6 months 
Happy to hear that the surgery went well! I wish you a speedy recovery
Proximal end it is different from distal one. you will be able if you perform a good rehab and a progressive work in terms of intensity. Blaine Wilson and Yuri chechi had you same injury, I think that their story talks for them!
Do not worry!
I tore mine in 2012 too. Distal Tendon. I pretty much do anything I want now. Just take your time and let it heal. I'm very cognizant of what I do though nowadays. I'm also going to be 49 this year....I guess what I'm saying is, I just want to stay in the game. I don't do anything extreme anymore, and i take the time to warm up for everything now
Happy to hear surgery was successful - as far as sports injuries goes, distal bicep tendon tears are a nasty business due to the rather lengthy recovery time. I completely tore mine (thankfully in my non-dominant arm) some 5 years ago doing full-lay backlevers (and getting way, way ahead of myself in terms of connective tissue preparation, mobility and indeed strength) on rings.
The arm is more or less back in business and I have been training GST (this time carefully following the progressions) over the past 4 years. The first 12 months post-surgery, paranoia kept me away from anything resembling a disadvantaged lever or any kind of bodyweight exercise... I still have some problems locking the elbow in the injured arm, making straight arm elements (planche, SL, HS, etc) a tad more difficult to attain.
Make sure your physio helps you open up the angle to full extension relatively early in rehab. If you wait too long, this will otherwise take years to correct (if ever). Don't forget to keep your shoulder active - my doctor insisted I keep the arm in a sling the first 2 months, which (needless to say) was not great for mobility. Beyond this, allow recovery to take appropriate time (6-12 months), ease back into GST carefully and follow appropriate progressions. Never skip a warmup, stretch like it's your job and stay mobile.
Good luck and hopes of a speedy (and complete) recovery.