What You Need to Know Almost Biceps Tears

Woman exercising with resistance bands

The biceps muscle is a bipennate muscle (2 muscle bellies). The two components are called the short head and the long head biceps tendon. Each muscle has an associated tendon. The end of the muscle closer to the elbow generally has a convergence of the ii muscle bellies and has one tendon chosen the distal biceps tendon. The end of the musculus closer to the shoulder has ii discrete tendons chosen the curt head biceps tendon and the long caput biceps tendon.

When an athlete or patient sustains an injury or in the absence of injury develops persistent symptoms, they should seek medical attention from a fellowship trained sports medicine specialist. While the diagnosis can oftentimes exist made based upon the history and clinical exam, an MRI is frequently obtained to analyze the injury completely.

Prevalence of Injury:

Each of these three tendons tin can tear. Of the three tendons, the long head biceps tendon well-nigh the shoulder is the more than commonly torn, next is the distal biceps tendon near the elbow and the short caput biceps tendon near the shoulder is rarely torn.

The long head biceps tendon can tear without trauma in patients older than 45 and this usually occurs in conjunction with rotator cuff tendon tears. These tears are frequently life-related, associated with more of a degenerative procedure and tin occur in males and females.

In the younger agile population or athletes the long head biceps tendon can tear secondary to trauma (such every bit lifting a heavy box or at the fourth dimension of a fall on an outstretched arm) or sports. In sports these injuries are often related to Biceps Labral Complex tears associated with the attachment site within the shoulder joint. These injuries tin occur in throwing athletes, elite swimmers, athletes involved in collision sports or weight trainers. These tears are sustained in both males and females.

The distal biceps tendon tears occur in younger patients often associated with trauma and in athletes engaged in weight training and collision sports. Occasionally, these tears are sustained in older patients who endeavour to for example, open a window that is stuck. It should be noted that in that location is a gender specific difference in that most of these Distal Biceps Tendon tears occur in males.

Bicep Tear Handling:

In full general, distal biceps tendon tears should be treated with surgical repair in well-nigh active healthy patients, while l ong head biceps tendon tears should be evaluated advisedly to decide whether it is an isolated long head biceps tendon tear or combined with an associated rotator cuff tendon tear or a biceps labral complex tear. This typically will require an MRI for a thorough analysis. Handling is predicated upon the results. Isolated Long Head Biceps Tendon tears are sometimes treated not-operatively in older, lower need patients. Younger patients and athletes will benefit from surgical repair that is termed a tenodesis in which the tendon is reattached in an appropriate location to restore role and secondarily to better cosmesis. Combined injuries that include rotator gage tendon tears and/or biceps labral circuitous injuries generally crave surgery for a satisfactory effect with respect to pain relief and render to action.

Returning to Total Activity:

When surgery has been recommended, the athlete should seek consultation from a fellowship trained (in sports medicine or shoulder and elbow surgery) orthopedic surgeon.

These repairs typically require several months for the athlete to become back to their prior level of sports activeness. There is a menstruation of biologic healing with certain restrictions during the first 4 weeks following surgery. Progressive range of motion begins in the second calendar month with early on strength and workout beginning later 10-12 weeks.

Dr. Frank Cordasco, sports medicine surgeonDr. Frank Cordasco is an Orthopedic Surgeon in the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service at Hospital for Special Surgery . The principal focus of Dr. Cordasco'southward practice includes ACL and meniscus injury in the pediatric, boyish, and developed athlete; shoulder instability; biceps tendon tears, rotator cuff and pectoralis tendon repairs, clavicle fracture surgery and AC joint separations. Dr. Cordasco's inquiry and education activities parallel and complement these clinical areas of expertise.