Biceps Tendon Tear

What is a Biceps Tendon Tear?

The biceps tendons connects the biceps muscle to the bones in the elbow and the shoulder. The biceps muscle helps control the motion at both the shoulder and the elbow.  It is essential to the function of the forearm lifting at the elbow and assists the shoulder musculature in moving the arm forward, sideways, and upward. The two main causes of biceps tendon tears are injury and overuse.  The tendon often becomes injured when lifting heavy objects or due to a fall onto an outstretched arm. There are varying degrees of injury that can occur to the biceps tendon at either the attachment to the shoulder or the attachment to the elbow.

Biceps tendon tear.  These injuries occur when there are one or more small tears in the tendon, but the tendon is still attached to the shoulder and/or elbow.

Biceps tendon rupture. This injury is often more serious and occurs when the biceps tendon is completely torn from its attachment to the bones of the shoulder or elbow.

If you have a biceps tendon injury the common symptoms can include:

• Sudden, sharp pain in the upper arm
• Bruising
• Tenderness at the shoulder or elbow
• Weakness at the shoulder or elbow
• Biceps muscle deformity
• Difficulty rotating the arm

In instances where the biceps tendon is ruptured, an audible “pop” can be heard at the moment of injury.

The Board Certified Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists at OrthoNeuro have helped thousands of patients with biceps tendon injuries return to an active and healthy lifestyle using a variety of treatment options.

How is a Biceps Tendon Tear or Rupture Treated at OrthoNeuro?

Treatment for biceps tendon injuries depend on the severity of the injury and wherein the arm the injury has occurred.  In the instance of a biceps tendon tear, the Board Certified Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists may recommend conservative treatment options to allow the tendon to heal.

These treatment options can include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Bracing
• Physical Therapy
• Injection Therapy

If the biceps tendon is ruptured, your OrthoNeuro specialists may recommend a surgical procedure to reattach the tendon to its original position on the elbow or shoulder using small sutures and anchors.  This procedure, known as a Biceps Tendon Repair, is performed on an outpatient basis so that you are able to return home the same day as your procedure.  Using our advanced minimally invasive techniques, there is very little surgical trauma and you are able to recover and return to normal activities shortly after surgery.