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Thread: Possible Left distal biceps tendon tear… advice on adjustments?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2025
    Posts
    4

    Default Possible Left distal biceps tendon tear… advice on adjustments?

    • starting strength seminar april 2025
    • starting strength seminar april 2025
    Doing NLP 3 months. small but steady gains now in my presses.

    During a press, I assumed i generated a partial tear of the left distal biceps tendon, but it may be more likely/also a small partial tear at the insertion of the medial head of the triceps as this is what is tender at the moment. Both are prone to injury in pressing actions.

    Any thoughts on adaptations going forward? I am thinking more about specialty bars like a curl bar or Cadillac that might minimize distal biceps tendon catching in push lifts (i.e. less forarm pronation) that is so common with a pronated forarm and flexed elbow? Or maybe just operate with a wider grip spacing? (narrow grip promotes medial head of triceps focus if i understand correctly).

    I plan to take an easy week (goal was easy week one in 4 but i let that get out of hand in the last month). I will start low and only progress if pain/symptom free. So dl, press, bench, power clean (everything but safety bar squat, but loading plates i need to be careful also) are on notice. I will get a second opinion, but an experienced second opinion may take longer.

    long version:

    So doing an overhead press I was at my max weight (not very much but i was working hard…i am new and a smaller build guy) and near the medial aspect of my left elbow i had a sensation of catching/pulling/tearing as i drove up from the starting position. Position was at the bottom of the lift so my forarm was pronated and my elbow at max flexion for the lift. The sensation occurred twice, once in each of my last two sets.

    never have i had pain in this area (left elbow) before.

    No overt swelling, no bruising, later that night general mild non-specific pain in the area (anticubital fossa).

    2 days later, special testing for biceps tendon for tear/partial tear are all negative (mri/us may be needed to determine partial tear). Medial body of trap at insertion is mildly tender however. (note yesterday, the day after the injury i did a four hour mountain bike ride… oops. Only occasional vague discomfort during the ride, but it was again mildly sore that night, next day. This may have added a red herring to my current symptoms.

    Background: Doing NLP, 44yo male new to lifting, no gear, 3 months in. Thin cyclist at 5’8, starting at 130lbs, but i have gone to138lbs with the program so far. Started slow due to comparatively strong quads, and an early injury in my R pubic region (athletic pubalgia) triggered by a deadlift. Starting very low with deadlift has allowed me to overcome that injury as i was so quad dominant, my other muscles needed to catch up.

    thanks for reading

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    55,258

    Default

    I don't think you want to know what I think. And after all, I am not a Doctor.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2025
    Posts
    4

    Default

    lol. i probably know what you think anyway cause i an thinking it too.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
    Posts
    1,046

    Default

    Dixon, it is good that you've gained 8 pounds of bodyweight in 3 months, especially because I'm sure this is a daunting task for a cyclist. That said, you should find that, the faster you get your bodyweight up to a more healthy amount, the sooner you will see less of these random pains and injury scares. It doesn't necessarily make sense from this end of things, but it is definitely a major factor. How much are you eating, and how much are you cycling?

    Another thing is that some people, and especially the analytical types that I'm pretty sure I'm recognizing in you from your post, can be susceptible to overthinking new sensations and pains and nocebo-ing themselves when encountering novel aches. (Ask me how I know!)

    But one of the many benefits of sticking to the NLP is that you rewire yourself by training through minor issues - over time, you literally change your nociception, i.e. your perception of pain. This comes in the context of ensuring decent form plus making consistent, committed, small jumps and not allowing reasons to back off and wait. The only way out is through.

    Are you in proximity to an SSC? Dollars to donuts, a session or two with a coach, or even a lifting camp would do you a world of good.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2025
    Posts
    4

    Default

    thanks for the thoughtful reply.

    - at the moment i target 60+ g protein a day. plus solid meals/snacks. I Don't calorie count cause it is all an educated guess anyway, but i am aware that the scale says i need to eat even more. Eating a ton is easy with cycling, but with lifting only i am forcing it.

    - cycling right now is almost zero as it is off season and my focus is strength (and more balanced health). It has gone well until i was dumb. Soon i will back off lifting frequency, and add back cardio/bike.

    - yes i overanalyze (being on a special interest forum self selects for that trait) and i have a fear of injury and i am quite aware of pain. My real fear is head injuries but don't tell anyone.

    - On the flip side i typically ignore non concerning pain (hour 4 of a mtb ride is all pain lol), and i (carefully) train through injury (so i fit the local mantra). Pain does not bother me… except pain around my anticubital fossa… that freaks me out! lol no joke… i hate giving blood, probably why. Cut my knee off and i am fine . But i also try to have common sense and i am self aware.

    - closest SS gym is 427miles away. I have a few friends that got me into this and the SS program. Both have been lifting at an impressive level with a focus on technique for years, so they are of help. It is 100% time for a form check however. I certainly have no issue investing in education beyond “friends.”

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