Modified FT after distal biceps detachment surgery

[Scott Stevenson]

Greetings Dr. Scott,

This is my first post, but I read just about everything I can find that you post.  I purchased the FT program and have had some very good results.  I recently had a major setback.  I detached my distal biceps tendon playing weekend warrior sports and it required surgery to reattach it.  It is a lengthy recovery:  6 weeks of complete immobilization followed by 6 weeks of nothing but stretching and ROM exercises.  I cannot touch a weight or even a resistance band for a total of 12 weeks post op.  Then, I am hearing up to 9 months before I can really get after it in the gym.

I am 54 years old so at my age, I really don't have 9 months to sacrifice, but I have no other options at this point.  I have been training consistently since 1984 and was a (marginally) successful competitive powerlifter for 15-20 of those years.  About 10 years ago I had a paradigm shift and now all I care about is looking better in the mirror.  I train like a bodybuilder using the framework of those like yourself, Dante Trudel and Jordan Peters.

Here is the crux of my question.  The left side of my upper body now has severe atrophy and it is getting worse by the day.  My left arm and deltoid in particular are bearing the brunt of this shrinkage.  On a positive note, I have been crushing legs using the TURBO version and doing my best to train with only my right arm.  When I am cleared to start using my left arm again, is there a way to modify FT to focus on building my upper body back up....and perhaps even more emphasis on the left arm/deltoid so they can catch back up (if you even recommend this idea)????

Thank you in advance for your correspondence,
Jeff

Hey Jeff!

Thanks for posting this here on the board.

I want to make sure I'm with you here. How long ago was the actual surgery?  I'm not sure where you are in the timeline, especially along the 9 month period before you can really get after it (see below for my best guess).  

Is that a suggestion / prescription of the surgeon / PT that you spend 9 mo before going back to what is normal training for you, or is that what the average person might expect?... 

In other words, what does this "clearance" actually mean in terms of what you're allowed to do.

The below Q's are not any attempt to provide medical info. - just getting a handle on where you are... 

Also, what was the mechanism of the injury?... What exactly were you doing when it tore?...

Do you have full ROM back now?...   (I'm guessing you might be just finishing the 6 weeks of just stretching and ROM exercises and now are "cleared" to start some kind of exercise?...)

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First thought would be to ask your PT or find / get a referral to a PT to evaluate where you are.  I can see there is a good size and likely a huge strength differential, but I can't assess that with one pic (and legally can't delve into that from a prescriptive standpoint).

The PT may have some specific exercises that can be / should be done give the nature of your injury and how it was repaired.    

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As far as training completely around the injury (for back, delts and chest), you can use and Isolator fitness set-up, although it may be hard to find. (I picked one up a couple years ago, just to have it, and for variety of exercises here at home:

https://www.youtube.com/@IsolatorFitness

That should get you going with a lot of things you might not be able to do.  

You can also use (I have some vids doing this on my Instagram from a few years back) hanging abs straps (that hook at the elbows) to fabricate that same set up as the isolator. (Check out that system and you'll see what I mean). The abs straps can be used for delts and back on a smith machine, for instance.

I personally would also avoid doing alternating grip deadlifts which tend to be cause biceps tears, as well as heavy rows and deads, for just now.  (Those just tend to put a lot of strain on the biceps as secondary muscles and you'll be MUCH strong on the prime movers that that weak biceps can support.)

You can also, perhaps with use the isolator / ab straps to pre-fatigue the lats before doing any kind of compound back movement.  (Also pullovers, "stretchers" etc. can be used.)

Per your PT's suggestion, I'd also start with very high reps / light weight on the direct biceps training. (You can stimulate muscle cell growth this way but be kind to the healing tendinous insertion.)

Those are some basic initial approaches you can take, but it will largely depend upon how you are adapting.  I would be wary of any excessive inflammation / soreness. IT's not going to take much at ALL to create soreness in that biceps and since it's atrophied, it will be even weaker and more likely to be injured again (perhaps even with a mid-belly tear).  It should come back though, quite well, I would imagine, if you give it sufficient time.

Hope this helps!

-Scott