Partial Pec Tear surgery - Page 5

BC-Halo · #81 03-22-2008, 01:24 AM

Ok, well I skimmed through more of the posts and seen you had the surgery, I hope everything works out for you and you recover well. They recommended that I have the surgery also, but the MRI showed that there wasnt any complete tendon tears, but I opted to not have the surgery. Good luck man.

str8flexed · #82 03-22-2008, 10:16 AM

thanks man i appreciate it

str8flexed · #83 03-25-2008, 11:47 AM

here is an update guys, this will be going up on my blog shortly:

Hello everyone,
Monday afternoon I had my follow up with the physicians assistant who assisted with the surgery on my pec. She told me that when they opened me up my 'pec was a mess.' I had significant scar tissue and fluid build up and a large portion of the surgery they spent just trying to find the torn fibers. They were able to find them and retrieve them but could not get them all the way up to the tendon so in order to bridge the gap between the tendon and the muscle they made a 'bridge' using a very strong filament called FiberWire. They attached my torn muscle fibers to one end and the torn tendon to the other and this should allow them to heal together. Furthermore, she said that when they pulled the fibers back up to the tendon my pec regained the proper shape. She said they may never be perfectly symmetrical, but they will be MUCH better off than they would have been without surgery. As I'm sure you can imagine, I was thrilled to hear this news. They also took my bandages off and I got to see the incision for the first time, it is sizable running from where my pec meets my shoulder down into my armpit, but I'm not worried about the scar, it will make for a cool story.

As for my recovery, I still have to wear my arm brace for 2-3 more weeks, after that I can begin physical therapy to regain my range of motion and function. Physical therapy will be grueling and frustrating she said, as I will only be able to get back very small amounts of range of motion at a time. She said it may be 4-6 months until I am ready to be cleared for lifting. I am not worried about that though, I am still cleared to work legs! So legs it is! I am going to purchase special squat bar that allows me to keep my hands in front of me while squatting so I can begin squatting during physical therapy once my brace is off. To this point I have not lost more than about a pound since the original injury and there is no noticeable atrophy of my chest and arm, though I have lost some fullness. I think a big reason why I've been able to stave off atrophy is because I have stuck to my diet. So many people go off their diets when they get injured because they feel there is no point. They are wrong! When you cannot train your diet is the only thing that can save you. I have been even more strict with my food intake. I have also been dosing Xtend to get BCAAs between my meals as well as HMB and both of these have been shown to reduce muscle protein breakdown, so I feel they have also aided me in holding onto my size.

Overall I'm very happy and encouraged by how well the surgery went. Each doctor tried to talk me out of surgery but I did my own research and knew that surgery was the only chance I would have to regain most of my strength, functionality, and symmetry. The surgeon himself said he thought surgery might not do anything at all. I told him that I loved bodybuilding and lifting weights and if it even just gave me 5 or 10% more functionality, strength, and made it look a little better, it was worth it for me. After the surgery he told Isabel he was surprised he was able to do anything at all, but I had read many medical case studies on this surgery and knew that in most cases the surgery does help things, and sure enough it looks like it did.

-Layne

naturalguy · #84 03-25-2008, 04:13 PM

Thanks for the update Layne. Hope the rehab goes well.

cuts · #85 03-26-2008, 05:50 PM

Good to see everything is going your way. I still haven't preformed any pressing movements. However, this past week, I was able to put a 45lbs plate on each side of the hammer st. flat bench and do about 20 reps slow. Each week I feel better. But like you said, Staying on the diet is the key. I didn't lose any weight with my injury. Of course my chest is flat, But I feel good everywhere else. Millitary pressing movements continues to be a struggle also. I often ask myself if I should have gotten surgery. Life brings so many challenges and as of now, I must deal with what i chose to do. Hopefully by May I will keep a pump in my chest, But right now, its not happening. Good luck!

str8flexed · #86 03-27-2008, 01:56 PM

Shaun,
thanks for the well wishes. You might still see a doctor about surgery though. I know toney freeman had his surgery 5 years after he tore his pec. It's much more difficult because of all the scar tissue but i know it can be done. In fact, there was one medical case study where a guy had the surgery 13 years after a complete tear. So you might just want to discuss it with the doc.

-Layne

cuts · #87 03-27-2008, 06:00 PM

Yea, Your right, I being stubborn I guess. I guess when the flame is burning for the passion of this sport, We often get blind sided. Going to give this great thought ...thanks. I am eager to hit the north americans this year. So frustrating. The good side for you is that your on the road to recovery.

-Shaun

str8flexed · #88 03-27-2008, 07:31 PM

thanks man, I agree. I think what you got to remember is bodybuilding is a marathon not a sprint, if the surgery is able to make you a better bodybuilder over the long term, it's probably worth it. And it can't hurt to just get an opinion on it you know?

azdrugfree · #89 03-29-2008, 03:35 AM

Layne...

I havent been around much, but I have to say that I blew my right pec out similar to what you did. I thought I was warmed up well enough. Hit my goal bench, tried for just a mere 10lbs more and WHAMO! It didnt hurt much, just felt like 1,000 fingers suddenly poking me in my pec. Well, I was told it was only a strain and so I didnt follow up with anyone else (told that by a knowledgable - ha ha - sports med doctor). Anyway, I have a partial belly tear. That happened back in 99. I have often wondered if anything can be done about it so long afterwards. I think I might be nearing the end of my bodybuilding days, so I dont know if it would be worth it or not. Can you get me the information on the guy who might do it so long after the original injury? I have what amounts to a half of a golf ball sized bundle of scar tissue in there right now. I firmly believe thats why I have shoulder trouble on the right side as well.

Good luck and speedy progress. If you can find someone with a cold laser.....USE IT! Its a phenomenal tool with the healing of tissues and the prevention of scar tissue.

str8flexed · #90 03-29-2008, 05:43 PM

i would contact victor ... pittorthodoc

cuts · #91 03-29-2008, 07:56 PM

Just checked out your site bro. Awesome!

str8flexed · #92 03-30-2008, 12:03 AM

thanks bro, likewise!

ski · #93 03-30-2008, 08:12 AM

Hang in Layne.........bide your time and you`ll be back before you know it.

All the best bud!!

Mark Cotton · #94 04-02-2008, 03:05 PM

Hi Layne--

I just wanted to stop in here and see how you are progressing. I'm sure with your knowledge and intellegence you'll be back in due time.

-Mark

homonunculus · #95 04-02-2008, 03:47 PM

Hey Layne,

Glad to hear things are turning out so well. Glad to see you put those researcher's skills to work to gain control of your situation. Nice job.

As far as a bar for doing squats and keeping you pec from overstretching, a cambered or a safety squat bar could be something for home:

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/im-0200.html

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/im-0210.html

----------
I just got one of Dave Draper's top squat bars, too.
http://www.davedraper.com/top-squat.html

It obviously works on free bars, but I actually used it with a smith machine the other day. The pressure of the weight creates enough friction so the top squat attachment can be used to hook and unhook the safety hooks on the smith machine. This one you could keep in your trunk and conceivably take to the gym with you (or even leave in a locker or behind the front desk w/o taking up much space).

-R

str8flexed · #96 04-02-2008, 11:52 PM

i was planning on ordering a safety squat bar. how do you like it compared to the top squat? any difference?

str8flexed · #97 04-05-2008, 02:24 PM

update on the recovery, have another apointment on monday so we'll see if i can get my brace off. I'm working legs 3x/week and right now I'm only down 3 lbs with no visible bodyfat gain. My right pec now is slightly less full and smaller than my left, but I'm not sure you'd even notice it if you weren't looking for it, though it does look flat. My right shoulder and arm are slightly atrophied but nothing bad. I am suprised how well I've maintained my muscle, I think it's really due to me having my nutrition on point... I never stopped eating like a bodybuilder. I also have been taking xtend (BCAAs) and HMB to really combat protein breakdown as they are both good inhibitors of the ubiquitin-proteasome system which is responsible for most of the skeletal muscle degradation in cases of inactivity or immobilization.

oh yea... and i'm cleared to do leg press :D

cuts · #98 04-05-2008, 06:50 PM

Great to see you smelling the steal again. Use this time to bring up weak points. I am going to attempt to train chest on the hammer st. tomorrow. I would do every diffrent variation of movments as possible with the lower body. Stay focus!

homonunculus · #99 04-05-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by str8flexed

i was planning on ordering a safety squat bar. how do you like it compared to the top squat? any difference?

Yes, they are different. I can't say necessarily that if I hadn't been using a safety squat bar now for the past year or so that I would like it better than the top squat (which I've only used a few times).

The handles on the safety squat bar are closer together and maybe allow for a little better bar control than the top squat. The top squat handle veer out at a diagonal slightly (and felt a bit awkward at first, but I think just b/c I had used the safety squat bar), which makes it a better fit maybe for really big guys.

I think the major advantages of the top squat are that its cheaper, you can feasibly take to the gym with you (if you can't leave a bar at the gym) and it allows you to use a smith machine (if that kind of variety suits you).

-R

str8flexed · #**100** 04-06-2008, 12:09 PM

interesting points R, I might have to do both hehe. I do think for the first few weeks, having my hands closer together may be easier anyway. But after a while having the convienience of the top squat to take with me would certainly be welcome.

thanks for the advice!