Sports medicine question (torn bicep)

[JonInMiddleGA]

No, not MY bicep.

Just wondering if anyone with a sports medicine (or sports injury) background could shed some light on that kind of injury for me.

Today's Class A-Private tennis quarterfinals, our guys are down 2-1 but lead in both doubles matches comfortably, including a 5-1 lead in the third set when a freshman (and likely future star of the team) hurts himself on an overhead slam, preliminary diagnosis (made by whom I don't know, whether medical or coaching staff) is a torn bicep. He literally can't raise his arm at that point but continues to finish the match, serving underhanded because that's all he could physically do with his normal arm. We ultimately lost that set 7-5, eliminating us from the tournament.

I guess what I'm wondering is along the lines of "just how bad an idea -- courage aside -- was it for this kid to compete in that condition"

[JonInMiddleGA]

Since posting my question, I now seen the final diagnosis turns out to be that he "dislocated his bicep tendon". Still, I'll let the question stand as originally posed since I'm pretty sure that degree of specifics was not known from a short injury timeout taken during play.

Honestly, the only bicep injuries of this sort I'm familiar with are pro wrestlers that has basically had them explode during matches. Beyond that though, my question really tries to get my head around some of the strict guidelines that are imposed for HS football now versus something like this where there's unlikely to be anyone on hand higher up the medical food chain than the basics required of HS coaches.

I'm further curious because this particular kid is the last of a tennis family to come through the school -- his mother is a classic tennis mom, makes me look downright mellow by comparison -- there's an enormous legacy for him to live up to there.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Honestly, the only bicep injuries of this sort I'm familiar with are pro wrestlers that has basically had them explode during matches.

It was irresponsible to not pull him out if the injury is as you described.

I can also give you a pro wrestling example. It's the injury that Paul Orndorff suffered during his big money run in the 1980s. He choose to work through it. Now that arm is completely paralyzed are a direct result of his choice.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dubb93

It was irresponsible to not pull him out if the injury is as you described.

I can also give you a pro wrestling example. It's the injury that Paul Orndorff suffered during his big money run in the 1980s. He choose to work through it. Now that arm is completely paralyzed are a direct result of his choice.

It really gave me pause in large part because of who the particular kid was. His family probably ought to have their name on the courts by all rights, I believe all the previous members of the family to attend have gone on to college on tennis scholarships, Mom is more than a bit high strung about her tennis as I mentioned. Meanwhile this final member of the family, well, let's just say that watching him this year has left me wondering if perhaps he isn't really as into the sport as his siblings or his mother. (He looks about as interested most of the time as me at a Lady Gaga concert)

Combine that with a coach who has already announced that he's leaving at the end of the year, a program that has likely seen the end of its window for state titles (it's a steady final four program for a decade that slowly finds itself getting eliminated earlier & earlier each season), my own first-hand knowledge that football is the only sport where a licensed trainer is on duty for an event (although with amount of doctors numbered amongst our parents there are often one or more on hand for a lot of events) and this being a 9am match on a weekday ... well, it just felt like a situation ripe for a bad decision, even for hypercompetitive ol' me.