Distal Biceps Repair

University of Virginia Orthopaedic Surgery

Weight-Bearing

NWB surgical arm

Key Restrictions

No active elbow flexion; nothing heavier than a cell phone initially; no resistance strengthening until 6 weeks; hinged elbow orthosis limiting extension (wk 2: 75 deg, wk 3: 60 deg, wk 4: 45 deg, wk 5: 30 deg, wk 6: full) worn full time including sleep

Timeline & Phases

Phase 1 (0-2 wks): posterior long arm splint; Phase 2 (2-6 wks): hinged EO full time with progressive extension limit; Phase 3 (6-12 wks): gravity-resisted elbow flexion, progressive resistance from week 8 (1-3 lbs, then beyond 3 lbs from week 10); Phase 4 (12-16 wks): return to full ADLs excluding heavy lifting

Notes

4 phases; hinged EO worn including sleep; LABCN neuropathy monitoring; heavy manual labor restricted beyond 12-16 weeks

Published

09/2024