Carl Higbie tore his bicep and had surgery to repair it, which is why his arm was in a brace and sling. He said he was “on the mend” after the operation, and accounts from people familiar with the situation describe it as a bicep injury rather than anything more unusual.
What happened
The clearest account comes from Higbie himself: he said, “Tore my bicep had surgery last Thursday. We’re on the mend”. That lines up with other reports that mention he injured the muscle and then underwent surgery, with one account describing the biceps as being visibly pulled up near the elbow before repair.
What is known
Based on the available information, the injury appears to have been a torn bicep, not a missing arm or a separate medical issue. The exact cause of the tear is less certain, because different accounts mention a weekend building project, exercise, or general physical strain. Those details should be treated cautiously, since they are secondary descriptions rather than a formal medical statement.
What is not clear
There is no reliable indication that anything more serious or mysterious happened to his arm. The public record here is limited to his brief update and related comments about surgery and recovery. So the safest answer is simple: Carl Higbie injured his bicep, had it surgically repaired, and was recovering afterward.