# Tom Blackman - recovery after surgery



## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Some of you might know that recently I underwent surgery on my shoulder.

It was an old injury from back in my Jiu-Jitsu days from agressive locks and strikes but as I have gotten bigger I have had more trouble with it.

So on 4th Feb I had a keyhole surgery operation to remove some calcium deposits and some other maintenance of the joint. Thankfully the rotator cuff was perfectly fine there was just a small tear of the ligament which has been fixed.

So I'm back on the road to recovery now and I thought I'd keep a diary of my progress for anyone else who has had similar problems.

I havent trained at all for over 10 weeks and obviously been off all AAS etc since before Xmas so I've had plenty of time to clean out and rest.

So I've lost about 8kg in weight and this will log my recovery.

I resumed training last week albeit at a vastly reduced level and have been in pain all week from DOMS lol.

So thats it really, I will put up some pics from the operation (inside my shoulder) which the surgeon gave me and you can see the tear quite clearly on it.

So this will be a total recovery log which may be of help to people who are trying to get back into training after a layoff or maybe someone looking to progress their training to a higher level.

I've started to work with Extreme Nutrition as well from this month and will be using their products to help my recovery. I've got a lot of time for Dougie and his company as they invest a lot of time into their products and testing them with athletes and with university programmes.

So yesterday I did my first shoudler workout in 3 months which went like this

Lateral raise - 5kg,10kg,12kg

DB press - 12.5kg

Front DB raise - 5kg

Rear Delt flye - 5kg

That was it and it was enough as I was knackered. So a definate benchmark to gauge my progress.

I'll stick my diet up later on and will put up the pics from the operation and me before I started back training so you can see the 'before' pics.


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

/me subscribed.

Should be an interesting Journal Tom.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

how did you cope mentally with the weight loss bud?

i`ve got some surgery coming up soon ish.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Cal - I never weighed myself and kept on eating a good diet albeit with some niceties thrown in.

Is depressing though when you can FEEL yourself getting smaller and you know you are weaker.

However once the surgery was done it was kind of like going over a summit cos I knew I'd be back into it soon enough.


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## FAT BOY (Dec 19, 2005)

good luck m8

should be a good read


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your misfortune Tom. Having sustain a life altering shoulder Break ( wish I had pics ) I can truelly relate to the mental and physical training. You must be a unique individual already so I'm sure in time you'lle not only be back to your original shape but be more mentally into the game as ever. For me personnaly I had to completely rethink the way I trained my shoulder ( but I lost a lot of mobility ) you will come out of this better than ever. Do you have much of a noticable scar or where they able to do it through microscopic surgery?


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## SX Dave (Jun 14, 2007)

good luck with the recovery mate, should be a very interesting read.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

thanks guys

They did it by keyhole so I've got a tiny scar about 1-2cm long on my side and rear delt. Wont even show up on stage so thats good.

I had it done at the J Webb clinic which is a specialist sports injuries clinic in Bristol.


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

TinyTom said:


> thanks guys
> 
> They did it by keyhole so I've got a tiny scar about 1-2cm long on my side and rear delt. Wont even show up on stage so thats good.


Thats good to hear. A friend of mine would have given you all a run for your money on stage but after a ruptured appendix leaviing a huge scar across his belly kinda made it impossible for him.


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## Pikey1466867920 (Apr 24, 2004)

Good luck with the rehab Tom look forward to reading about your progress.


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

TinyTom said:


> I had it done at the J Webb clinic which is a specialist sports injuries clinic in Bristol.


How much did that set you back Tom?I have a similar condition that flares up from time to time.A painful lump appears in the gap on my shoulder where the end of your trap meets your medial delt.

No gym for 10 weeks!I don't wanna think about it.

Good luck.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Gazz it was on Bupa so was free (sort of) The bills ran to 2k though.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Heres the photos from the op.

Top left is the tear and in the same group is the rotator cuff fully intact which was a relief.

On the right is the obnormal bone growth and calcium and the after pics when it was removed.


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

Are those pix of Jupiter or Uranus? :becky:

Do you pay for Bupa membership on a monthly basis by direct debit then?


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

Nice photos Tom. You never mentioned you were pregnant? :becky:


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Bupa is £55 a month for me I get Local Govt discount.

Worth itthough. If it was NHS I'd be waiting for 6 months for the op.

TBH I'd pay the 2k to get it done sooner.


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

TinyTom said:


> Bupa is £55 a month for me I get Local Govt discount.


Does that have anything to do with being SIA licenced?


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## Guest (Mar 11, 2008)

hi tom, hope your recovering well mate, ive just fractured my elbow abd dislocated my trapese so not in good shape. however these things are a test of ones inner strengh.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

No in my day job I work for Local Govt so get a discount.

Thankfully that stays all the way up to when I dont renew so even if I leave the council I still keep the discount.

Good really cos I cant wait to leave its a shitty job :becky:

Ali - Its definately a test of my mental strength as losing all that size and strength is difficult when you cant do anything about it.

On the road to recovery now though.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Yesterday was my first proper shoulder workout so I was a bit nervous.

Training went like this

3 sets lateral raises (5,10,10)

3 sets DB press (12, 17.5, 20)

3 sets front DB raise, rear lateral raise superset (5, 10, 10)

3 sets Smith machine military press. 10kg each side.

The weight is creeping back on in the lifting stakes, I think I am back up to half strength now and thats in 2 weeks of training so wont be long until I'm back to full steam ahead.

The only exercise where I had problems was the smith machine which was due to the position of the arms which puts direct pressure on the area I had operated on. This was only a stiffness and not pain.

So I was uplifted by this tremendously as after 12 weeks layoff I'd have thought it would take a lot longer.

My diet has stayed the same and will do throughout the year now until I get to dieting in June. My first show will be the South West Qualifier on 16th August. I was due to do the Gravesnend but that is the same day as my last Hypnotherapy class so that will take priority.

I weighed myself last night after training and I'm back up to 15 stone which is 95kg so the weight is coming back on well, although I'm not as lean as I normally am so will start some cardio in the AM next week.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

trained Back on Friday and Arms on Sunday.

For back I did

Warm up of cable Latpullovers+standing cable row+standing hi cable row.

This is a technique I picked up from Harold who uses it to warm up his whole back area.

Then I did DB Rows which I managed to get up to 40kg on the last set.

Then High Hammer Pulldown Machine and got up to 50kg each side.

Then close grip Pulldown up to 50kg.

I also did some DB shrugs at the end.

I think I am back up to about half strength at the moment but everything is steadily improving. I've stopped the physio exercises except for the rotator stuff as the other exercises were just bench press and rowing movements which I am doing anyway.

On saturday I was at my hypnosis course but trained when I got back and decided to hit my arms quite hard to see if I could handle it.

I did

High Cable Curls - No pain now whereas 2 weeks ago there was a slight twinge

Tricep single arm pulldown

DB curl + BB curl superset (got up to 20kg on DB curls and used a 15kg BB to get some more reps out after)

Preacher curl - only 5kg ona single arm

CLose grip Bench and seated DB curl superset. Got up to 80kg on CGBP and used 10kg DBs for curls

Tricep pressdown - 80kg on last set.

This is pretty close to my total arm strength before the surgery so I was quite pleased

Although today my arms are still aching









I was 93kg on Saturday which is good progress


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

WTF is a High Hammer Pulldown Machine?

Are you taking any anti inflammatories Tom or other prescribed meds for your shoulder?

Good progress!


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

Gazz said:


> WTF is a High Hammer Pulldown Machine?
> 
> Are you taking any anti inflammatories Tom or other prescribed meds for your shoulder?
> 
> Good progress!


He must mean Hammer Strength...?


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

Tall said:


> He must mean Hammer Strength...?


What as in big hammer,small nail?


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

Gazz said:


> What as in big hammer,small nail?


Does that mean big belly, small wanger? It only ever seems to be fat lads who say "Its not the size of the nail, its the hammer you bang it in with"


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

LOL

*wipes away tear* Are you calling Tom a fat lad? :becky:


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

Gazz said:


> LOL
> 
> *wipes away tear* Are you calling Tom a fat lad? :becky:


Not in so many words... But I don't see him denying it... :becky:


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## gentlegiant (Mar 23, 2007)

Tall said:


> Not in so many words... But I don't see him denying it... :becky:


Maybe he prefers being a 12lb sledge than a 4 inch toffee!

It's what he's bangin' his nail into that worries me.I just hope it's not another fat lad!hehehehehehehehehe


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## Tall (Aug 14, 2007)

BUMP!

How goes the rehab Tom?


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi mate

Had no issues since the last post.

Gonna do some before and after photos up here in a week or so.

I am 93kg ayt the mo and nearly back to what I was.


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