Bicep strain/tear/rupture please comment

**Kaytime** · 11-26-2021, 06:20 PM

Hey guys

Few days ago I was training back and when I got to my second exercise I was doing lat pulldowns, I was on my last heavy set of the full stack and I felt a sudden pull or pain In my right bicep. Immediately I stopped and I stopped back but started training traps as it didn’t hurt too much.

I work in a freezer warehouse so I’m in places -30+ so I use the cold to help my injury. The next day it was hard for me to pick up things that were 15kg at work and when I got home I decided to do some cupping and iastm (blade work) on my bicep.

The next day the pain went down by 45% but I have bruising and still swelling inner bicep closer to shoulder.

Today I can rotate my arm with no problem and I can pick up things not feeling much pain but I am taking 2 extra days off lifting to assess.

Do you think I could have a minor tear or a strain? I never really had a issue like this and because I am dieting down I just assumed it was cause of my hydration that it happened.

**Hoss34** · 11-26-2021, 11:26 PM

What color is the bruising?

**Kaytime** · 11-26-2021, 11:41 PM

Click image for larger version.

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It’s hard to tell with my tattoos but light black but again it could be from blading aswel as the cupping.

I had a 6kg bag and bicep curled it to test and no pain but it’s like a 2/10 like I know my bicep is injured but pain wise it isn’t as bad as I thought if it is a tear

**Hoss34** · 11-26-2021, 11:52 PM

Thanks for the pic. Could be tears in the blood vessels. Did the muscle change shape? I don't recall you saying you felt any kind of pop...

**Kaytime** · 11-27-2021, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by Hoss34

Thanks for the pic. Could be tears in the blood vessels. Did the muscle change shape? I don't recall you saying you felt any kind of pop...

To be quite honest it’s swollen so it’s giving my bicep a bigger look when I flex, shape wise still looks the same but it makes my bicep peak look taller if you get what I mean.

I didn’t feel a pop more like a sudden jolt of pain in my bicep. If it was a proper bicep tear would the pain be unimaginable even till this day? It happened Thursday and today is Saturday here.

I was thinking I might train Sunday legs and Monday shoulders and triceps and push back or bicep days towards end of next week but stick to machines and not anything that aggravates it?

What do you think?

**Hoss34** · 11-27-2021, 12:24 AM

I don't know the exact medical term but my best guess is you definitely have some tissue damage. Yeah if you had a proper tear you would see significant black and blue bruising and I doubt you would have been able to curl 6kg. I'd rest for a week then go back very light without squeezing the muscle at all during reps and see how it feels. I'm sure there are other members here that could help more than I. Let us know how it goes.

**Kaytime** · 11-27-2021, 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by Hoss34

I don't know the exact medical term but my best guess is you definitely have some tissue damage. Yeah if you had a proper tear you would see significant black and blue bruising and I doubt you would have been able to curl 6kg. I'd rest for a week then go back very light without squeezing the muscle at all during reps and see how it feels. I'm sure there are other members here that could help more than I. Let us know how it goes.

Thank you truly for the advice and I’ll take you up on the advice. Honestly thanks for giving a fast response also.

**XnavyHMCS** · 11-27-2021, 01:07 AM

Gday mate...!!! (ugh... I don't know if I wrote that correctly...)

I have suffered a very similar injury (my thread is just below yours).

Nearly identical symptoms, and current state of the muscle.

One week into it; I have taken the week off from the gym, totally off. The pain is nearly gone, but I still cannot "curl" anything of an substantial weight...

Looking forward to coming back to training, but not biceps / back, this coming week...

**Hoss34** · 11-27-2021, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Kaytime

Thank you truly for the advice and I’ll take you up on the advice. Honestly thanks for giving a fast response also.

Anytime, my pleasure

**Kaytime** · 11-27-2021, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by XnavyHMCS

Gday mate...!!! (ugh... I don't know if I wrote that correctly...)

I have suffered a very similar injury (my thread is just below yours).

Nearly identical symptoms, and current state of the muscle.

One week into it; I have taken the week off from the gym, totally off. The pain is nearly gone, but I still cannot "curl" anything of an substantial weight...

Looking forward to coming back to training, but not biceps / back, this coming week...

Today the swelling went down more today and my bicep doesn’t look out of shape really much anymore. Feels better by the day and hopefully I’ll just train shoulders tomorro and see how I go.

Lol Gday.

**kelkel** · 11-28-2021, 10:20 AM

Go see an ortho asap. Don't risk long term damage. Get it properly assessed.

**wango** · 11-29-2021, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by kelkel

Go see an ortho asap. Don't risk long term damage. Get it properly assessed.

THIS ^^^! I’d say push for an MRI to see if and how bad the tear to the tendon is. Most any exercise could put you at risk for more severe damage or a complete rupture.

**spywizard** · 11-29-2021, 12:25 PM

only a mri with contrast will know for sure.. my recommendation.. is you injured it at work... overextending to do a lift... perfect example was me.. i did not feel an injury while working out (might be the difference for you) torn bicep, torn peck, and about 3 sq inches of cartilage ... had immediate loss, with no direct pain.. at work doing physical activity, i slipped, catching myself and had the loss at that point in time..

The mri said no rotor cuff tear, work comp paid for the mri with contrast and that showed all the issues..

bilateral disc replaced, and the pec/bi fixed, rounded off the spurs (that we all have) removed the cartilage that had traveled down my arm causing massive pain and 2 yrs later i'm back to 40% of my pre injury lifts..

and that was considered a success.. gh, test, hcg i credit for getting back to 80% which is a good spot to be in.. after all why would a 55 yr old need to do seated military press with 315 anyway... right..

1st mri

**Kaytime** · 12-03-2021, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by kelkel

Go see an ortho asap. Don't risk long term damage. Get it properly assessed.

Thanks for the advice I truly appreciate it.

I actually trained yesterday with no more issue as swelling went and pain subsided and feels like normal. I won’t be going heavy and sticking to machines for a week to assess and from there I’ll still be getting iastm done to help with any scar tissue but so far it feels 100%

**Hoss34** · 12-04-2021, 11:12 AM

Good deal. Just go easy. Those guns of yours ain't going away anytime soon.

**kelkel** · 12-07-2021, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Kaytime

Thanks for the advice I truly appreciate it.

I actually trained yesterday with no more issue as swelling went and pain subsided and feels like normal. I won’t be going heavy and sticking to machines for a week to assess and from there I’ll still be getting iastm done to help with any scar tissue but so far it feels 100%

Good to hear! In the last 3 years or so I've had minor tears in a bicep, both hams and a shoulder. It changes how you train for sure. Reducing weight a bit and focusing on form has actually been a good thing for me.

Be careful and good luck.