United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi to all
I need a little advise if any one can shead some light on things for me. About four weeks ago my tricep started to flicker ever so slightly, but now you can see definition of the tricep but still not strong enough to straighten my arm. More suprisingly about two weeks ago my bicep started to flicker and same thing you can see the muscles contract and starting to gain some size but no where near strong enough to flex my elbow. I am just not sure how long it should take to be able to support weight of an elbow flex. I am working my ass off in the gym with seated bench press in different positions (my ot made a glove up to be able to strap my hand to he bar) any thought on other exercises i can do? My questions is has this happened to anyone else and if so what sort of time frame was it for you. I know every one is different but still good to have a base line. I was told not to get to excited about the long graph working because it was 30 cm but when you have had no muscle activity in your arm for 17 months and suddenly you see your bicep and tricep start to contract you start dream, hope and a prayer thrown in every now and then.

Sounds like reason enough to hope to me...Good luck, and keep working hard. My son was just injured in Feb. and we are hoping and praying that he will regain some use of his arm in the future too.

Congratulations! It's so wonderful to read posts like yours! I agree - after 17 months of no muscle activity, flicker contraction is certainly something to celebrate! We are all so happy for you! Please keep us updated as your recovery progresses.

Great news mate onwards and upwards.

Whats the glove like you use in gym? i have no hand movement and made myself a glove from a gym glove but it didnt work to well,i must try again

What machines/program do you use/do? id be intrested to see if it can be of any use to me.

yea mate the glove is just a glove with velcrove stiched to each finger and a peice of velcrove around the rist part of the glove so i can close my hand to make a fist. But i also wear a rist guard with a metal suport in it. so glove on then rist guard on then velcrove fingers into a fist then just slide onto bar. I use a seated bench press machine with adjustable angels. Although i my bicep is getting bigger and but still no flex after a month when it first started to flicker. Hope that helps. And i also have a old arm support from ot that i bolted a metal bar to in the shape of my my arm ready to do a bench press .

Hey Troy, Right there along with you just reaching my 9 month post op with no flexion yet, though flickers and new pains here and there. Luckily my hand has come along way for me to type and play guitar some when my arm is supported, but like you I strive to be able to flex my arm someday soon again. I believe alot of the hand works I'm doing is helping spark something in my biceps. For me, I can move my arm slightly when pivoted but no where near able to flex. Stopped wearing a sling some six months ago. How bout you?

BTW, what did your doctor say about time line to start considering a muscle transfer, assuming you didn't have on initially with your primary op?

Just wondering if anyone has heard off her and what their thoughts were. She works outside the box witch i like.

I sure hope somebody knows Geeta Schroff; i want to know more about her work!
Carolyn J
LOBPI/72

Well well well A year and half since my bpi and 12 months since surgery and I can do a bicep curl in the pool. Still no where near being strong enough to do one with gravinty but It is exciting and after a year of working my ass off it paid off in one instance when I seen my arm curl in the water. Good news but now I am back in hospital getting my plates out do to gaining an infection a year and a half after my origanal wound where thev plates where was closed. Just a set back but not a big one i hope. Just a couple of weeks in hospital and hopefully only a couple of washes out.

Excellent news. Good luck with the plates and "keep on truckin' "