Hi all, I am new to this forum and hoping for some answers or advice about biceps tenodesis. I had this procedure done 9 weeks ago an I am in more pain now then I was before. My OS used a dissolvable screw to reattach the tendon but I'm thinking that is coming loose. I have been going to therapy 2x a week and for the past 2 weeks I have been in a lot of pain. I seem to be going backwards in my recovery. My range is good however it is still difficult to put my arm behind my back and reach across my chest. The pain is sharp and throbbing and keeps me up at night. I am back to taking the Norco the OS prescribed for surgery just to be able to sleep without pain, but end up waking up in the middle of the night in a lot of pain. I am only 22 years and not too sure how my shoulder will heal. The pain is in the front of my shoulder where my OS reattached the tendon. There is also a painfully clicking and popping coming from my shoulder, which my PT was very surprised to hear and feel. I feel like the pain is worse now then before the surgery. I know I needed the surgery because my biceps tendon was subluxing and fraying and if I didn't do it it would have torn completely. Has anyone had this pain before? I see my OS in 3 days, hopefully he has some answers. Is a cortisone shot a possibility or another surgery? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

Hi Jamie,

First off, it completely normal to have an increase of pain once you start getting more aggressive in PT with a biceps tenodesis. I am almost 3 years post op from a biceps tenodesis, I was 24 when I had it done. I would get pain so bad it made me question all the time whether what I was feeling was normal or not. I also had a bioabsorbable anchor, just like you. It is normal to have internal rotation (behind back and even across chest) be the slowest range to come back, it's also a very uncomfortable range to stretch...but keep on that. I was still taking percocets for a few months after this surgery and the rehab from this surgery is one of the longer ones of shoulder surgeries. Be prepared for it to take close to a year for you to feel the FULL benefits of the surgery. For me, at 9 months I felt like I took a big turn in terms of full return to normalcy. 9 weeks is still very early in your rehab process and it can be very disheartening feeling what you're feeling, but I can tell you it will get better, and I think a lot of people here will agree with me. Also, be aware that it took me 9 months to start feeling much better, that doesn't mean it will definitely take you 9 months, it could only take 6 months. I just want you to be prepared for the timeframe.

Hang in there, try some heat now at this point when you start PT before doing exercises to help get warmed up and lessen muscle spasm. Not sure if you've tried anti-inflammatories, but it's unlikely your OS would do cortisone. I definitely wouldn't worry about another surgery at this point.

Hang in there, feel free to ask away here, lots of people have been through this.

Leanne

Thank you for your information and support. I really appreciate it. I saw my OS today and he said the clicking and popping is the bursa. He said to keep sticking with therapy and come back in 3 weeks to get a cortisone shot if the pain doesn't subside. He said he would do an injection today however he thought it was too close to my surgery to be any help. He mentioned that the cortisone would damage the muscles,tendons, ligaments that are trying to heal and he felt I would have a better outcome if he waited 12 weeks post-op to do the injection. He told me to hang in there, which is hard to do considering everyday things are becoming more painful, but I know this is part of recovery. I'm really not a fan of taking 3 Advil every 5 hours during the day and Norco at night if i don't have to. Does anyone have any tips to help reduce bursitis? He also mentioned the sharp pain I'm having near the incision site is due to scar tissue being so thick and every time I move my arm it rubs against it. So this is where i'm at now. I guess it's back to PT for me for awhile.

Your doc is absolutely correct on the cortisone. It does interfere with healing. Excessive scarring can be very painful too. Hang in there - you still have a ways to go. Have you had your PT do deep massage to work on that scar? It does help.

PT got the okay from my OS to start a deep massage on the scar. It feels so thick and hard but I'm hoping that will go away soon. My PT also recommended a TENS unit for the throbbing pain I have. I'm wondering if I should call my OS to prescribe on for me since insurance won't cover it if the request is from the therapist. Are they effective? I had PT today and I left in more pain then I came in with. It's frustrating but I'm hanging in. Back to PT on Friday.