OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hey Guys and Gals,

I ruptured both bicep tendons at the shoulder the other night while playing in league. I saw a surgeon who told me normally he doesn’t recommend surgery on someone my age (65) but because I’m active he wants me to consider having ASAP.
Has anyone else had similar injuries and had a successful rehab. Any pros and cons on not having the surgery?

Thanks in advance,

Lem

Were you diagnosed with an avulsed coracoid, i.e. short head of the bicep detached from the shoulder? If so, I have experience with this rare injury.

I was diagnosed with a long head tendon tear a few years ago, but Tuesday night during league there was a pop and an incredible amount of pain. I now have Popeye Deformity of the bicep. I’m confused since I was already diagnosed with a full tear why the bulging bicep now.

As you are no doubt finding online, ruptures of the short head of the bicep are very rare, usually caused by major trauma like a severe car accident that also damages other areas of the shoulder. In my case, prior shoulder surgery for a grade 3 separation left my coracoid process compromised which eventually led to a ruptured coracoid. This means that the bicep tendon yanked off the tip of the coracoid, leaving the upper (proximal in medical lingo) connection of the bicep short head floating free in my shoulder. This occurred nearly two years ago and still has not Popeyed, thankfully, but it is far from good. I have to baby it and avoid movements that stress it or else it's painful, and I fear, at risk of doing the Popeye. I was offered surgery soon after the injury -- which happened playing TT -- but the surgeon explained that 'conservative treatment' (i.e. doing nothing) had equally good results as surgery which is an invasive ORIF (i.e. not laparoscopic) procedure with a ground-zero rehab. Having gone through such a rehab on the same shoulder just two years prior, I did not relish repeating the process which sees, after six weeks of complete immobilization, your arm and shoulder's musculature and flexibility reduced to almost nothing. Yes, arduous PT brought me back, but the hope that I could achieve the same result without surgery won out. My window for getting the surgery closed after 5 months, and in retrospect, I made the wrong decision. My shoulder joint is now unstable (research SSSC) and in constant low-level pain which increases if I do seemingly unrelated activities like spending an hour or more on my road bike. As a side-sleeper, sleeping on that side often causes discomfort which can wake me. And the simple act of sliding open a patio door or wiping a counter must now be done deliberately or using my other arm.

In your case, with both biceps ruptured, a visible deformity, and the desire to play TT again, I would seriously consider the surgery. But do your own research and consult with more than one surgeon. But don't spend weeks doing this.. outcome may worsen with delay.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert and the advice I offer above is only my experience and a layman's opinion. Consult a qualified orthopedic surgeon.

Lem,

If this is a grade 3 tear (complete tear where it is seperated off the bone) then you pretty much are faced with surgical re-attachment (that has a decent chance of success) or just live with it (which you do not seem to want to do) and you have little to no chance it will re-attach on its own and get normal.

If this is a grade 2 tear, you have non-surgical options, but they will take you out of the sport... but so will the surgical options.

I had a grade 2 and after it quit being inflamed, I used far infrared a few hrs a day and got to 60% within a few months. 4 months after tear, I was 70% and could just begin hitting BH shots less than full power.

These injuries, and many injuries can really suck.

Of course you will look into this with your own evaluation and with that of a medical pro.

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Thank you for your reply, its a complete tear. I'll gladly live with it as long as I can resume playing. What I've managed to research online it will be difficult to play a FH push or play without fatigue pain.
I've consulted one surgeon who recommends surgery, I have a 2nd opinion scheduled on May 5th and a appointment with a sports physician on April 20th for an evaluation and a possible rehab solution.
Not playing is not an option