posted Sat, 05/16/2026 - 10:23
334
+ 1 How Quickly were you able to get in the Surgery Theatre?
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I am interested to know, if when you have had a weights related injury that has needed Surgery - what was the timeframe you experienced between the Actual Injury occurring itself to being laid on the Operating table getting surgery?
I know there will be a wide parameter of time frames here as some will be on the NHS like myself in the UK and others will have Insurance or paid for it themselves, everywhere seems to be different around the world in terms of what you have access to.
If you can remember also, please state how long it was from Surgery to being able to lift weights again (not rehab work)? 
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Bicep tear they took me in right away. On table within two weeks
You definitely get seen quicker with something like a Bicep tear mate as the tendon retracts quickly - if they can't get it re-attached back to the bone quick then its too hard to repair. I spoke to the shoulder woman this morning and she said the reason I am waiting a little longer is because mine is still attached so not retracting yet - FUCKIN BITCH SHOULD REALISE I GOTTA LIFT ASAP BRO!!!!
Make sure you get a good surgeon
As Luck would have it - he's literally rated as the best in my region. Does both private and NHS shoulder surgeries.
You will be just fine they will fix you good I can forsee the future
Apparently I get a Latex nurse in the room with me an hour before the Operation who will 'relax' me - whatever that means.
lol
Not surgery but took 3 months before insurance would approve an MRI to find out I had 3 degenerative discs in my low back. Had to see multiple different specialists and do physical therapy first. The pain was unreal at first. The kind that makes you sweat all day fighting through it.
Just something I have to be aware of and train around. Actually find it rears its head less when I stay at a lower body weight.
In the USA.
I can't imagine being in that kind of pain for that long, must of been fuckin unbearable and frustrating as Hell. I appreciate when people are older and don't live an active lifestyle then surgery isn't always required - but if you are still doing lots of activities and middle age then the ONLY option is surgery I would have thought in 99% of cases.
Very frustrating. Especially after two doctors order an MRI to see whats going on and the insurance (that i pay for) denies it until I jump through hoops.
What kind of injury. Going through this now with a long head bicep rupture. USA: 3 day to dr apt, 3 weeks for mri, one more week for orthopedic surgeon apt. MRI shows complete upper long head bicep tear, two complete rotator cuff tears and two partial tears. Rotator cuff surgery scheduled for July 2. Too late for bicep repair cuz tendon retraction and atrophy. The limit is 3 maybe 4 weeks …ideal is 2 weeks or less for muscle tendons. Rotator cuff repair has much longer time frame cuz those muscles are short & small, with limited contraction.
i have more info on rehab and workout schedule cuz I’ve had two tricep tendon rupture repairs and a type 3 shoulder AC surgery.
The type of injury may dictate expediency with the ortho apt. For my tricep tendon rupture the injury had massive bruising with arm ballooning so the visual effect was significant. So orthopedic apt the next day, no mri and surgery scheduled within two weeks, cast 6 weeks, brace 2 months and I started very light weight lifting (upper body) 4 months… never stopped leg training but no squats just machines. Back to light squats after 4 months.
Hi Buddy - I am assuming this is Private either via Insurance or paying for yourself with being the US. I have seen your forum posts regarding this mate but I don't think you realised you had rotator cuff tears also at that time. Blimey so that sounds like you have done all 4 tendons then? Which 2 tendons have you completely torn from the bone?
It sounds like you have had a proper attempt at them all buddy!!! I am amazed you haven't noticed limited mobility in the shoulder joint itself - there must be directions you can no longer move your arm in? I Hope surgery goes well for you mate
It sounds like they will be doing quite an overhaul on it all.
In short, my injury happened 4 weeks ago today!! Full thickness near full width tear of Supraspinatus critical zone fibres, tendon footprint still intact on the bone - all the rest of the area good but also mild fraying of Infraspinatus fibres on the back, tendon still intact. This is from benching buddy for years using widish grip etc. I had the shoulder consultant meeting after just 1 week, still waiting after 4 weeks for an NHS MRI date so Tuesday just gone I paid for a private one as I was sick of waiting lol. I have my next meeting with the consultant 2nd June and then meeting with shoulder surgeon on the 10th June. I assume after that I will have the pre operation assessment meeting and then surgery but unknown when that date will be.
Did you get one of these Ice machines that comes with a shoulder pack that the ice water runs through? They are supposed to be really good for just after surgery for all the inflammation etc. Getting an RTC sleeping pillow too for the side and a sling in the next few days to learn how to function with just one hand so it isn't as shocking on the day when the nerve block wears off!! Really not looking forward to the months of Zero training mate but what can ya do??!!
Health care is through my insurance. The plan is to fix all tendons orthoscopically. Subscapularis is complete tear, suprascapular is mostly torn and the other two and the labral are partially torn.
I have had significant shoulder pain for 8 years now. Most I did from bench press but last winter I had a bad crash during alpine skiing and I knew I jacked up my shoulder more, probably the subscap tear. No bench press for the last several years and dumbbell presses were touch and go but cable flyers and presses kept my chest full. I knew I had some form of rotator cuff tear which was helped with tb 500 and bcp 157 but not a cure. The health care for this type of injury is so slow with cortisone, pain management, physical therapy well before approval of an mri. My workouts are very good so I didn’t push it.
The subsequent bicep tendon repture and mri proved what I had suspected with the rotator cuff so the bicep tear was kinda a good thing? I’m glad the surgery is scheduled for July cuz I get a couple more months to train and stay thick. I know after the surgery training will be reduced significantly. But talking with the surgeon I understand my shoulder will only be immobilized for 3 weeks, half the time my arms were in casts from previous tricep tendon tears and shoulder Ac separation surgery (+more weeks in slings and braces). So I’m sure my recovery will be much quicker, but still a few summer tank top months --
Yes, I did get an ice bucket and pump through my insurance for my last surgeries and it was very helpful. You are right about sleep. It was a major pain in the ass to sleep after my last shoulder surgery cuz I could not sleep of the bad should and during sleep on the other side the shoulder would slump and hurt just as bad. Sleep was disrupted for several months.
Two things that really helped my recovery and surprised my doctors assessment of the swiftness of my recovery were: 1. I trained my forearms frequently and intensely- this circulated massive amounts of nutrient and oxygen rich hot blood through the injury. 2. I trained the opposite arm and should frequently and intensely - the body is systemic so it seems to automatically send more blood to the less active side and injury and the only thing that heals is blood flow. With all my other surgeries my doctors were so impressed with my progress they declined to send me to physical therapy stating “keep doing what you are doing cuz you are well ahead of where you would normally be with PT. No brag just trying to give you some encouragement. BTW I was able to get massive forearm pumps when my arms were still in slings even after tricep tendon surgery. The disappointment of rehab atrophy is greatly reduced if you have thick vein popping forearms…trust me it did wonders for my mental heath!!!
Keep pumping, eating high protein meals. And training legs. Seated calves and calves on the press machine. are your new friends.
All the best brother… share your journey and recovery.