Post ADCF tricep, lat and pec still not working

[Matt275]

46 yo male, 6’ 210 lbs. 14 weeks post op two level ADCF c6 and c7 with significant atrophy in left tricep, lat and pec. Strength and mass has so far not come back. Squats are going up, deadlifts stalled and are behind squats, I think due to grip issues, have switched to using straps. Bench and press are very light and a struggle to increase. Is there any rehab I can do to get the muscles firing again?

SQ: 305 x 5 x 3
DL: 295 x 5
BP: 152.5 x 5 x 3
P: 115 x 5 x 3

[Mark Rippetoe]

Nerves take a long time to heal. Depending on how long they were impinged before you fixed it, might take a couple of years.

[Matt275]

Nerves take a long time to heal. Depending on how long they were impinged before you fixed it, might take a couple of years.

Exactly what I thought. There’s very little studies on regaining strength/mass I could find. Figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. I appreciate the reply.

[Frank_B]

Matt,

A good friend of mine had a very similar experience to yours. He had a 385 bench “back in the day” but wasn’t doing squats, deadlifts, or overhead presses. He got demoralized in the gym after losing his right pec, tricep, and lat. I finally started coaching him 5-6 years after the surgery.

He’s now 56, and after 6-8 months of actual training, at 5’6”, 192, he pulled 390 for 5, is squatting 225 (he had a lot of mobility issues and we just got him doing low bar after toying with the safety squat bar), pressing 172.5 for 3 sets of 5, and benched 275 for a top single a few weeks ago.

His lats look fully developed now but the lower part of his pec and the long head of his right tricep still don’t look right, and they probably never will. The increments loading the bench and press have been very tricky. Volume seems to work… until it doesn’t. Intensity seems to work… until it doesn’t. On certain days his neuromuscular efficiency seems to be half that of other days, so we just have to make adjustments.

That said, he’s still stronger than he ever has been at the age of 56 with perhaps exception to his bench, which was all he ever trained previously.

[Matt275]

That said, he’s still stronger than he ever has been at the age of 56 with perhaps exception to his bench, which was all he ever trained previously.

I appreciate you chiming in with a positive result and glad it worked out for your friend. I get a bit less tingling in my ring and pinkie finger every week or so and an occasional spasm in the tricep. Im hoping that means the nerve is healing and I’ll eventually be able to contract/flex those muscles again. Focusing mainly on my squat, as that’s the only lift not affected by it, and BJJ. Some days the bench will go up 2.5 lbs with no issues and the next time I bench I fail miserably. Press is the same. Deadlift is affected by the weak lat it seems, I can’t hold the bar against my legs and the left side swings out away from the body.