Triceps tendon rupture, surgery or not?

[M@NU]

Hey there,
Worst week since a long time. I had mri on Thursday and ortho appointment yesterday and I have a full triceps tendon rupture on my right arm. Didn't think I had since I still have function and can train triceps and presses with light weights.
Ortho says I should go for surgery but I am not sure.
Anyone experience with this kind of rupture and if surgery is the only way to optimally treat it? Additional info. Tendon is retracted 1,9cm which, according to my ortho, is very little and success of surgery is very high
Thanks guys

 

[sbtr12]

Hey there,
Worst week since a long time. I had mri on Thursday and ortho appointment yesterday and I have a full triceps tendon rupture on my right arm. Didn't think I had since I still have function and can train triceps and presses with light weights.
Ortho says I should go for surgery but I am not sure.
Anyone experience with this kind of rupture and if surgery is the only way to optimally treat it? Additional info. Tendon is retracted 1,9cm which, according to my ortho, is very little and success of surgery is very high
Thanks guys

I believe you should listen to your ortho if you want to have a strong shot of recovering strength back to 90-95% of where you were before the injury.

Your window for surgery in this type of situation is normally just 2 to 3 weeks after injury, otherwise surgery will no longer be an option.

If you weren't into lifting, some orthos might suggest you skip surgery because you don't necessarily have to have surgery in that scenario as the injury will likely not signficantly affect your quality of life.

In your case, if you don't have surgery, you are likely going to have to adjust to the injured arm likely staying in its weakened state or getting worse.

 

[Nemesis RR]

Get surgery unless you are fine with an atrophied, weaker tricep leading to limitations in all push exercises leading to further limitations.

 

[M@NU]

Yeah I guess it's the right way to proceed. My only fear is that I will mentally break without my heavy training. Right now my training is progressing from week to week. For chest ofc Flys only and no triceps but rest is no issue.
I am scared for the first weeks where training has to be very light. I can not tell you when I've had my last rest day. This sport is a very very big part of my life

 

[MindlessWork]

Yeah I guess it's the right way to proceed. My only fear is that I will mentally break without my heavy training. Right now my training is progressing from week to week. For chest ofc Flys only and no triceps but rest is no issue.
I am scared for the first weeks where training has to be very light. I can not tell you when I've had my last rest day. This sport is a very very big part of my life

Best for your sanity to get that tendon fixed so get the surgery so that you'll have a chance to regain almost all the strength back in the tricep. I myself got surgery within 2 weeks to repair my Achilles back in January and now it's nearly back to where it was.

 

[CaptainTren]

Get the surgery and when you recover try BPC and tb500 to hear faster. Don't worry muscle memory will make you regain faster .

Set backs are part of the game.

 

[Lee_48]

I had tricep tendon surgery at the beginning of may. All my ROM is back, no pain or anything, size is coming slowly, but strength is still not there fully yet.

Following surgery I ran
-200mg test
-1.25 BPC split into two doses daily injected locally.
-1.25 TB daily
-7.5 iu GH at bedtime
-25 mg anavar daily
-30g collagen daily

This was the report from the MRI

Findings:


No abnormal marrow edema is appreciated.

There is no evidence of fracture, healing fracture, or AVN.

There is a partial-thickness tear of the posterior component of the distal triceps tendon. This represents a partial-thickness tear of the combined tendon involving the lateral long heads. The more anterior medial head is uninvolved.Surrounding soft tissue edema is appreciated. Follow-up with orthopedics is advised.

The biceps is intact. The brachialis tendon is intact. The common flexor tendon is intact.

Mixed signal in the common extensor tendon is appreciated. This represents severe tendinopathy with some intrasubstance tearing. The collateral ligaments appear intact..

Impression:

* Partial tear of the posterior compartment of the distal triceps tendon is confirmed.

Surrounding edema is noted.

* Common extensor tendinopathy with intrasubstance tearing. Follow-up with orthopedics is advised

 

[M@NU]

so small update:
went to an elbow and shoulder clinic on wednesday.
Drove there for 2,5 hours and waited 4,5 hours in the waiting room.
Doc and chief doc examined my arm and where wondering why i sitll have this much function with a full rupture.
they check MRI and tell me well, def no full rupture but a partial rupture. Around 60-65% of the tendon still in tact and no surgery required.
according to them, it should heal back to 90-95% strength in the next 4-6 weeks.
I will get anohter opinion on friday in another ortho clinic

 

[Lee_48]

Get another opinion. My surgeon said it’ll never be back to even close to 100 if I don’t get surgery. I have great range of motion with mine as well when it was torn still btw.

 

[MindlessWork]

so small update:
went to an elbow and shoulder clinic on wednesday.
Drove there for 2,5 hours and waited 4,5 hours in the waiting room.
Doc and chief doc examined my arm and where wondering why i sitll have this much function with a full rupture.
they check MRI and tell me well, def no full rupture but a partial rupture. Around 60-65% of the tendon still in tact and no surgery required.
according to them, it should heal back to 90-95% strength in the next 4-6 weeks.
I will get anohter opinion on friday in another ortho clinic

At least that's good news. Having 65% of tendon still attached is better than having a complete tear where surgery would then be required. Try BPC/TB/GH stack to help with healing.

 

[barbell001]

Really sorry to hear about this buddy, must of been devastating at the time. I have had a grade 1 pec tear and 2 hamstring tear and it feels like your world has collapsed at the time. Can I ask what exercise you were doing when this happened?

 

[TestosTyrone]

What a bummer dude. Put lifting on the back burner for now or focus on legs. Your health is more important. The gym will always be there. You'll recover in no time. Ease your way back into things.
During your recovery you can utilize the resources you have here to speed up the process. Hope things get better

 

[M@NU]

Really sorry to hear about this buddy, must of been devastating at the time. I have had a grade 1 pec tear and 2 hamstring tear and it feels like your world has collapsed at the time. Can I ask what exercise you were doing when this happened?

i strongly assume it happened during too heavy butterfly reverses..
its the only time i had some kind of tearing sound (although very minor) and the day after i had a very very slight bruising around the elbow.
ill have another opinion on friday.
no presses and triceps for the next 2 weeks. then ill slowly start with very light weights and physio

 

[UncleBuns]

so small update:
went to an elbow and shoulder clinic on wednesday.
Drove there for 2,5 hours and waited 4,5 hours in the waiting room.
Doc and chief doc examined my arm and where wondering why i sitll have this much function with a full rupture.
they check MRI and tell me well, def no full rupture but a partial rupture. Around 60-65% of the tendon still in tact and no surgery required.
according to them, it should heal back to 90-95% strength in the next 4-6 weeks.
I will get anohter opinion on friday in another ortho clinic

Smart move getting multiple opinions. If you have a shot of healing it then obviously that's the way to go. If no surgery then the risk becomes you sticking to your PT and allowing the time for it to fully heal. There's a danger zone where it's partially healed, impatience takes over, and against medical advice people will go back into full training and then they'll really do themselves in. Do you have access to a good sports specialist PT? Regular PTS who specialize in the regular population aren't always the best for athletes. If you can find one that works with athletes that will go a long way.

Good luck and hopefully no surgery!

 

[M@NU]

Smart move getting multiple opinions. If you have a shot of healing it then obviously that's the way to go. If no surgery then the risk becomes you sticking to your PT and allowing the time for it to fully heal. There's a danger zone where it's partially healed, impatience takes over, and against medical advice people will go back into full training and then they'll really do themselves in. Do you have access to a good sports specialist PT? Regular PTS who specialize in the regular population aren't always the best for athletes. If you can find one that works with athletes that will go a long way.

Good luck and hopefully no surgery!

thanks buddy
i have access to a very good physiotherapist.
Its private so no insurance coverage but atleast i know what i get.
tomorrow i am atr the specialist clinic. A bit nervous but lets see

 

[iris]

tomorrow i am atr the specialist clinic. A bit nervous but lets see

Good luck, hope they will give you good news.
Let's us know how it goes

 

[M@NU]

so bad/good news, i dont even know it anymore since right now im a bit down and cant think clearly.
yes, it is a partial rupture. No, its not 30-35%, the tendon is only hold by some threads and it wont get any better, more like the opposite, it will get worse the more time goes by..
chief doctor offered surgery and told me they would use titanium anchor so its additional stability.
i took his offer and will get surgery on 19.08.

 

[iris]

O

so bad/good news, i dont even know it anymore since right now im a bit down and cant think clearly.
yes, it is a partial rupture. No, its not 30-35%, the tendon is only hold by some threads and it wont get any better, more like the opposite, it will get worse the more time goes by..
chief doctor offered surgery and told me they would use titanium anchor so its additional stability.
i took his offer and will get surgery on 19.08.

Oh, wow...
That an MRI interpretation can vary so wildly is kinda scary...
At least, it's coming soon, so then you will have plenty of time to get yourself better, rather than wait ages for an op and get even more upset about it.
We will all keep out fingers crossed for a successful outcome.
You will be fine. Stay positive and the rest will come

 

[AlexDavis43]

so bad/good news, i dont even know it anymore since right now im a bit down and cant think clearly.
yes, it is a partial rupture. No, its not 30-35%, the tendon is only hold by some threads and it wont get any better, more like the opposite, it will get worse the more time goes by..
chief doctor offered surgery and told me they would use titanium anchor so its additional stability.
i took his offer and will get surgery on 19.08.

Oh man, now you're talking. That's no fucking joke.

Glad you're getting surgery.

Planning any peptide-based healing protocols?

I wouldn't be able to help myself from thinking about additional healing avenues. Post-op etc. GH, bpc, tb.
Even throwing in a scoop of collagen powder wherever I could.

 

[M@NU]

Oh man, now you're talking. That's no fucking joke.

Glad you're getting surgery.

Planning any peptide-based healing protocols?

I wouldn't be able to help myself from thinking about additional healing avenues. Post-op etc. GH, bpc, tb.
Even throwing in a scoop of collagen powder wherever I could.

Buddy you can bet I do I'm addicted to the gym so my goal is to speed up recovery as much as possible. Will go down to trt plus maybe 10mg npp and 20mg var daily. Hgh at around 12 to 15iu,plan is to inject every 3 hours. Tb and bpc first 20 days 3mg tb and 2,15mg bpc daily, then down to 1mg each daily for the following weeks