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Had this issue for a few months before seeing doctor (very rarely ever go to doctor). Was affecting my sleep a couple of nights a week. Diagnosed bicep tendonitis. Too many repetitious movements making the bicep head angry. Basically said to stop heavy lifting - I've been doing basic bodyweight exercises and trials riding and bouldering. However still a little unclear on what I should and shouldn't do. He said my range-of-motion was good (this was the morning after a poor nights sleep, but only experiencing slight discomfort during consultation).
He gave me a sheet of exercises, some I already do in some form or other for warm up. However, it's the internal/external rotation exercises I've neglected to do up until now.
Any way I'm definitely going to stop any exercises involving my entire bodyweight through my arms... I'm not sure though, if things like passive or even active hangs would be okay, or support hold on rings perhaps?
This morning went for a 5 mile run. Mostly it was okay, slight discomfort, but when I went to remove my top, it was painful lifting my arm. Disappointing if I need to stop running because of my arm!
Just looking for other experiences, what you had to stop, what you continued doing, etc, please.
All I have to add is - don't snap it.
It's a bit of a bugger, has to be stitched back on within 4 weeks or it's toast. Circa 8 years later it's still not at 100% the physical strength it was before (the point of connection seems strong enough) and the biceps muscle seems about half an inch shorter - probably down to where the tendon was stitched back onto my forearm
Best advice i have is to see a recommended physio. (If you are near Penrith then i can suggest someone).
I had issues with my rotator cuff and tennis elbow from lifting weights. Pain was getting progressively worse and resting and stretching didnt achieve anything. £50 session with physio i know and he diagnosed gave me some exrecises and 2-3 weeks later it dissapeared. Truth be told i still do the exercises (Every morning in the shower - 5mins). Brilliant value £50.
All I have to add is – don’t snap it.
way ahead on that front - was having niggling pain a couple of years ago that gradually eased off - mistook that for it having got better but I think basically the bits of tendon I could feel were done for and the bits I couldn't were all that was hanging on. It snapped - painlessly a couple of weeks ago - surgery a week ago and 3 months of recovery to look forward - this is the first thing in a while I've managed to type with both hands ... but not going to add another paragraph 🙂
Watching with interest, I think mine is sore from holding a smartphone in the right hand for extended periods, mousing with right hand and/or brushing teeth, all activities which keep it under some sort of tension for long periods.
Was definitely not happy after some gentle bouldering with my son the other weekend.
I'd understood doing eccentric exercises such as lowering a barbell (having first lifted it with other hand) would help, so I've been trying that, but not often enough yet to draw any useful conclusion.
Have 1 appointment left with my physio, best get it booked and ask him...
Perhaps then I'll attempt to be eminently sensible for once, never had surgery not wanting to start yet if I can help it! Aside from the exercises and the don't do heavy over head lifting advice, I was told to come back in 6-8 weeks if no improvement and then he'd book a physio.
The snapped tendons, what activities were you doing when it happened?
Carrying a door - prob about 40kg
Not massively helpful, but if you can afford to see either a decent sports physio or registered sport rehabber, at least for an assessment, then they can assess properly and give you specific guidance. We’ve seen a lot of patients over the years with similar issues and there is quite a lot of variation in advice, progressions and loading depending on the exact presentation. It’s often what not to do and how to sequence progressions that is often key. LHB (which I guess we are talking about?!?) is one of those structures that gets loaded in lots of different ways, it’s not just about the movements that the muscle produces / controls.
As a very general rule we tend to focus on scapular and rotator cuff exercises with loading restrictions based on the assessment and a gradual increase of load to the LHB, including tailoring all your preferred activities. 🙂
The snapped tendons, what activities were you doing when it happened?
Drunk arm wrestling. I lost....
The resulting scar. Surgeon had to go fishing for it where it has recoiled into my upper arm, bring it back down and stitch it to the bone in my forearm
edit, pic won't load
Drunk arm wrestling. I lost….
Lol at the activity but not the consequence. Given how much we used to arm wrestle at school surprisingly dangerous activity!
Also... Being from the design/IT team at work I sometimes liked to think I had a chance of beating the sales guys in an arm wrestle 🤣 but luckily then I doubted my shoulder was strong enough.
bring it back down and stitch it to the bone in my forearm
I've got two scars - drilled a hole though my forearm - poked the tendon through a sewed a button on the end 🙂