Question for anyone who's had a bicep tenodesis

okbuddha

Obviously I'll ask my doctor next week, but this happened right before offices closed today so I wanted to shoot out a quick message:

I had the bicep tenodesis surgery two weeks ago and started physical therapy today. At the end of the session, the physical therapist asked me if I had any questions, and I said, "I'll recover full strength in my arm, right?"

The physical therapist said, "We can never fully guarantee 100%, but our goal is to get you back to full strength, yes."

Now I'm pretty sure she phrased it that way for legality reasons because that wasn't the impression and information I felt I had gotten from my surgeon... But I'll be able to use my bicep like before, right? It's just attached slightly differently. I don't feel like I was given any inclination my left arm will end up weaker because of this procedure.

Basically, if I follow all the precautions, don't strain it or ignore what my doctors and PTs tell me to do, I should make a full recovery?

sgt1372

Good possibilty if u do your PT and take it slow b4 lifting heavy, but there's o way 2 know 4 sure.

I have had 2 rotator cuff surgeries (left & rt) and got full range of motion and full strength back after 6-12 months in both

Also recently had a procedure done to fix a
medial epicondylitis problem.

Still haven't been clesred to lift heavy yet but I'm not optimistic that it will work 4 a variety of reasons that I won't bore u with here.

As with any medical procedure, nothing is guaranteed.

BarbaraHelen2013

Having had a bicep tenotomy as part of a more complex shoulder surgery in early October it’s my understanding that a tenodesis is performed as an alternative to a tenotomy specifically to ensure full strength can be achieved after healing and therapy.

The tenotomy is where the head of the biceps is simply cut and released, whereas what you had was that the long head of the bicep was cut and reattached to the head of the humerus, which allows more future stability and strength.

Tenotomy is simpler and used for patients that aren’t going to be lifting heavy overhead, either occupationally or recreationally.

okbuddha

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

The tenotomy is where the head of the biceps is simply cut and released, whereas what you had was that the long head of the bicep was cut and reattached to the head of the humerus, which allows more future stability and strength.

This made me feel so much better.

Theoldguy1

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

Having had a bicep tenotomy as part of a more complex shoulder surgery in early October it’s my understanding that a tenodesis is performed as an alternative to a tenotomy specifically to ensure full strength can be achieved after healing and therapy.

The tenotomy is where the head of the biceps is simply cut and released, whereas what you had was that the long head of the bicep was cut and reattached to the head of the humerus, which allows more future stability and strength.

Tenotomy is simpler and used for patients that aren’t going to be lifting heavy overhead, either occupationally or recreationally.

I have had the tenodesis as well and was told the same thing, it is the surgical alternative for those that want/need the best possible function following a tear.

That being said, I have a hard time determining the impact on the strength as I had the surgery and shortly after I began activity after recovery my tendon tore on the other arm and had to have the same surgery so I lost my point of comparison.

I am sure I don't lack any strength due to the repairs for activities of daily living. I've had to modify a bunch of exercises I do at the gym due to a string of 6 shoulder operations (the tenodesis procedures being 2 of them) over about 5 years so I've lost points of reference but feel I'm doing pretty well strength wise.

BarbaraHelen2013

okbuddha wrote: »

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

The tenotomy is where the head of the biceps is simply cut and released, whereas what you had was that the long head of the bicep was cut and reattached to the head of the humerus, which allows more future stability and strength.

This made me feel so much better.

I’m glad! Just take it slow and steady, don’t be in too much of a hurry! You’ll get there! Good luck with your recovery. 😊

COGypsy

My ex had it done and was absolutely religious and meticulous about his rehab and PT. He was able to get his strength back pretty quickly (probably not quickly enough for him though!). He’s a bodybuilder though, so his muscle base was pretty solid pre-surgery, which likely helped.

ninerbuff

There is hardly any surgery in the world that repairs anything to 100%. Even anything off by a millimeter will result in different movement and feeling in any surgically repaired ligament or tendon. You DO what you can do and what's allowable from the surgery.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

okbuddha

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

okbuddha wrote: »

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

The tenotomy is where the head of the biceps is simply cut and released, whereas what you had was that the long head of the bicep was cut and reattached to the head of the humerus, which allows more future stability and strength.

This made me feel so much better.

I’m glad! Just take it slow and steady, don’t be in too much of a hurry! You’ll get there! Good luck with your recovery. 😊

I have about a month and a half before I can start weight lifting again, and the shoulder is feeling much better. It will click and ache for a day if I roll onto that side and sleep on it for a night, but it feels way better than it did before the surgery.

And my doctor did reassure me at my first post-op visit with him that I would recover full strength in it, which seems to be what's happening. I feel like the physical therapist was phrasing it the way she was for legality reasons. Like I had a bad knee injury in high school during skiing, and the ache I get from it after a long run is something I didn't have before the injury, but I can still use it lol.

Overall, very happy with the procedure because the daily soreness that used to bother me is no longer there.

Almost time to start using it full speed again

Theoldguy1

okbuddha wrote: »

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

okbuddha wrote: »

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

The tenotomy is where the head of the biceps is simply cut and released, whereas what you had was that the long head of the bicep was cut and reattached to the head of the humerus, which allows more future stability and strength.

This made me feel so much better.

I’m glad! Just take it slow and steady, don’t be in too much of a hurry! You’ll get there! Good luck with your recovery. 😊

I have about a month and a half before I can start weight lifting again, and the shoulder is feeling much better. It will click and ache for a day if I roll onto that side and sleep on it for a night, but it feels way better than it did before the surgery.

And my doctor did reassure me at my first post-op visit with him that I would recover full strength in it, which seems to be what's happening. I feel like the physical therapist was phrasing it the way she was for legality reasons. Like I had a bad knee injury in high school during skiing, and the ache I get from it after a long run is something I didn't have before the injury, but I can still use it lol.

Overall, very happy with the procedure because the daily soreness that used to bother me is no longer there.

Almost time to start using it full speed again

As I mentioned above I've had the surgery on both arms. One thing that I found as I started lifting again I tended to get some cramping in the bicep. I worked around it an backed off, did fewer reps of direct bicep work and it adapted after a month or 2. I never asked the PT but I'm guessing after the repair the muscle is moving slightly differently and you need to adapt to that.

If you are having clicking/pain, etc you may be working on some other shoulder issues. Practice good shoulder hygiene especially sitting at a computer, looking at cell phone, etc. Maybe ask the PT about it and see if they can give you some long term exercises for shoulder heath.


Best of luck

sgt1372

sgt1372 wrote: »

Good possibilty if u do your PT and take it slow b4 lifting heavy, but there's o way 2 know 4 sure.

I have had 2 rotator cuff surgeries (left & rt) and got full range of motion and full strength back after 6-12 months in both

Also recently had a procedure done to fix a
medial epicondylitis problem.

Still haven't been clesred to lift heavy yet but I'm not optimistic that it will work 4 a variety of reasons that I won't bore u with here.

As with any medical procedure, nothing is guaranteed.

Update:

My elbow "procedure" failed and am resolved to NOT doing anymore exercises (mainly pushups, pullups, dips, curls or OHPs) that will stress the elbow anymore.

Can still do dumbell flys but that's about it. Sometimes there just isn't a fix for a disabilty, medical or otherwise.

Sold my expensive gym quality dip stand as a result.

Oh well . . .