4 weeks post op on 2.6.12......

Sunday, I helped my wife do some plumbing....basically gripped the pliers with my recovering arm (i know i know) and pulled with my non surgery arm....it was a smooth motion and I only tried like 1 or 2 times.....

well 2 days passed and now my PT says she thinks I have Bicep Tendonitis....my bicep near my armpit is klling me and the outer bicep hurts when any weight is placed on it at all....even minor amounts (Though the latter was present before my idiodic plumbing move, ugh.

Do you think I messed up something or just irritated my biicep tendon when I flexed it that hard?

freaking the f out in Jax....

thanks...

C

Hey,

what surgery did you have done?

I wouldn't worry you messed up your repair, it takes a lot to mess it up and at the position you described, there was no real exertional stress that would have been placed on your repair. My surgeon told me, you would pretty much have to fall on an outstretched arm to damage it at this point.

In terms of the biceps tenodonitis, it is very possible it could be inflamed. I'm almost 12 weeks out right now and all kinds of muscles around my shoulder are inflamed. Regardless, don't push it for a bit, ice lots and try some anti-inflammatories to see if it helps.

But to put your mind at ease, I wouldn't worry about the repair...doesn't sound like you could have done anything to it, and you would know if you did. So rest easy.

Leanne

I agree with Leanne. When you've had as many surgeries as she and I have had, you learn what may be a problem and what is not. I have fallen on an outstretched arm, on ice, after my rotator cuff repair. It hurt, but did not affect the repair. You will experience a lot of ups and down for many months. And worries, and concerns. We all have, but knowing the difference between healing and serious issues becomes clear.

I had a 180 degree cuff tear and a torn labrum....4 anchors....some tendon that begins with an S also was torn, does that help?

Thanks everyone, this community really helps me when I am down/geeking out, which seems to be alot...i have had ACL repair and this is WAY harder

THANK YOU internet lol right???

Man this has been a super tough/discouraging last 2 weeks,..i was making progress or so i thought, then I get tendonitis and start regressing with ROM....oh well *BIG SIGH* I will continue to move ahead and try and stay positive.....

Thanks again for the positive responses, that has made me feel better.

So at this point, should I still ICE and use my TENS machine?

I am not sure what a 180 cuff tear is- could it be the labrum? The S tendon is probably the supraspinatus. There are quite a few different types of tears, partial, full, complete, articular, bursal, delamination, U shaped, L shaped, small, med, or massive... the list goes on.

Keep on icing and using the tens. Pain can continue for a long time - if you don't have pain for several weeks you are very lucky. It can continue for months.

I feel your pain. I was doing awesome and was basically "released" from the therapist. Then, the NEXT day the front of the shoulder went to crap. It felt tight, without actually being tight. I wanted to guard it and so forth. I was told by several professionals it was bicep tendinitis. That was 10 weeks ago. I am still dealing with it. I have thrown everything I can at it: hypnosis, acupuncture, therapy, drugs, ointments, shot, ice, kinesio tape, etc. Some gave me "clarity" or moments of relief, but nothing has done it. Recently, I decided to try my weightlifting again and some swimming. I can manage the motion and although my strength is weak, I am getting through it. It doesn't hurt much (other than the obvious tendinitis on the short head of the bicep). Time will tell if this helps. I have heard many people say they kind of need to "beat the hell" out of the trouble spot to make it feel better. I couldn't say what technique works for you or if this will even work for me, but you may want to ask the therapist if it's ok to do something like that. Your complication might be too recent to try that, but after ten weeks for me I am desperate.

In the end, it was explained to me like this: you get tendinitis after these surgeries very easily because the muscles have atrophied so much. What should be done by muscles, is being done by connective tissues. Those aren't meant to be for strength and they get pissed quick.

So, if the therapist says it's ok and it doesn't cause too much pain, consider strengthening the area to give the tendons some relief. The unknown sucks. We are creatures of knowing. When we don't know we assume the worst or our minds focus on nothing but the problem. It's a hard thing to get your head around. I am still dealing with it. Good luck!