A Biceps Tendon Tear or Injury is the rupture to these tendons. By this rupture, the muscle separates from the bones. The rupture can occur in the shoulder tendons or elbow tendons however it is more common in the shoulder tendons. When the rupture occurs in the tendons at the shoulder it is called proximal biceps tendon rupture and when it occurs in the tendons at the elbow it is called distal biceps tendon rupture.
The biceps muscle is used in performing a range of activities like lifting, rotating, bending the arm and reaching over the head. Hence a rupture to the biceps tendon affects these primary functions. A bicep tendon rupture can either be partial or complete. In partial, it does not completely tear the tendon whereas in complete the tendons are cut into two and separates from the bones.
Bicep tendonitis / tendinitis / tendinopathy / tendinosis / tenosynovitis/ Shoulder Biceps Rupture/ Ruptured Biceps at the Shoulder are all common terms that describes a tear or injury to shoulder’s bicep tendons.
Signs and Symptoms of a Biceps Tendon Injury
o Pain at the front of the shoulder which worsens on performing activities like overhead lifting
o Pain that radiates down the arm
o An intermittent snapping or popping sound in the shoulder when you move it
o Weakness in the shoulder and arm
o Difficulty rotating your upper arm
o Bulge above the elbow
o Bruising to the upper arm
Causes of Bicep Tendonitis
Biceps tendon tears are common in bodybuilders and athletes who perform weight lifting and other repetitive activities. These injuries are more common in men than women. It is also a common sports injury for swimming, tennis, baseball, basketball etc. Other than this, it can occur in individuals due to trauma like accidents, due to old age.
Common risk factors that increases the chances of getting a Biceps Tendon Tear are:
o Age – It is common in elderly people due to wear and tear of the tendons
o Certain occupations – Like construction workers, porters who lift heavy
o Smoking
o Corticosteroid medications
o History of shoulder problem
Diagnosing a Biceps Tendon Tear
The most common finding a biceps tendon rupture is bicipital groove point tenderness. The pain can radiate towards the insertion of the deltoid muscle or down to the hand in a radial distribution. It is seen that pain from the biceps rupture usually worsens at night, especially while sleeping on the affected shoulder. Overhead motion of the arm, pushing or lifting may cause the pain to worsen. Pain becomes very evident in the follow-through of a throwing motion. An audible snap can be heard during the range of motion of the arm as a result of the instability of the tendon.
Your orthopedic doctor/shoulder specialist will diagnose a Biceps Tendon Tear with one or more of the following methods:
o Studying your medical history – On your presentation to the clinic the doctor may ask if you have had a history of tendon ruptures. This would help the doctor to delineate if you are at risk of having tendon ruptures.
o Physical Examination – Patients with biceps tendon rupture often complain of a deep throbbing ache in the anterior shoulder. The pain is usually localized to the biceps groove. Through physical examination doctor can get a fair idea about the tendon rupture. While examining the patient, s/he may stand with arm in 10 degrees of internal rotation. During the external rotation of the arm the bicipital groove may in a posteroleateral position. This is one of the tell-tale signs of a biceps tendon rupture.
o X-rays – Although x-rays cannot show soft tissues like the biceps tendon, they can be helpful in ruling in/out other issues that can trigger elbow pain.
o Ultrasonography – This imaging technique can reveal the free end of the biceps tendon that has recoiled up in the arm.
o MRI Scans – Better images of the soft tissues can be obtained through this mode of imaging. MRI images can show both partial and complete tears of the biceps tendon.
Treatment of Biceps Tendinopathy
Depending on the severity of the condition of your Biceps Tendon Injury as well as your overall bicep function and if you have damaged any other body part such as rotator cuff, your shoulder doctor will recommend the following course of treatment:
Rest – Refraining from dong exercising, lifting or holding anything heavy can help your recover from overuse injuries. The objective behind rest is using your arm as little as possible. Make sure you are not doing anything that causes pain, even if it does not seem to be strenuous.
o Icing
Medications (Non-steroidal) – These are over-the-counter medications that can help relief from inflammation. As you may be aware, inflammation is the hallmark of tendonitis. Medications help reduce swelling from the tear of the biceps. Pain arising out of biceps tendon injuries can also be reduced with medications
o Medications (Steroids) – For cases where non-steroidal drugs does not improve the condition and the situation demands
Physical Therapy – With physical therapy rehabilitation you can regain strength and range of motion after a bicep tendon injury. A physical therapist will guide you through a set of exercises designed to help you heal your injury and relieve pain. Your therapist may also give your exercise sessions to be done at home once you are out of the main mode of treatment (as you make progress). These might consist of stretches to flex and extend your arm, arm rotations, strength-building exercises like curls.
Torn bicep surgery – If none of the above-mentioned modalities of treatment help your injury heal or if tendon tear is large (as a rule of thumb, more than half), your doctor might recommend an operative procedure to repair the bicep tendon. However, if the bicep tendon tear is at the elbow, surgery is recommended as a fist-line treatment.
Surgery for a long head of the biceps tendon tear is rarely needed. However, for some patients (particularly athletes) the conservative non-surgical treatment options does not help and those who need complete recovery of the strength, surgery is recommended. Several new procedures like Biceps Tenodesis, Acriomioplasty and Direct Tenodesis have been developed which uses keyhole (arthroscopic) techniques to perform the correction.
In case a surgery is required, it is always better to perform it as soon as possible because otherwise the tendon gets retracted up the arm and gets stuck which becomes difficult to retrieve with small incisions. Surgery is mainly done to reattach the tendon to the bone.
Rehabilitation post-surgery
Soon after the surgery, your doctor will ask you to wear a sling. You will be asked not to perform certain activities for a recommended period of time. Post which you will be put on a customized therapeutic exercise starting with slow exercises and leading to active strengthening exercises which will help gradually strengthen your muscles.
Torn bicep tendon recovery time:
Recovery time depends on the intensity of the tendon rupture as well as the nature of the treatment undertaken. Seemingly mild ruptures can take up to two months to heal. However, in order to get back to your activities of daily routine, you may have to wait out another four to five months. Post surgery, you may be asked to wear a sling or otherwise immobilize your arm such as in a splint or cast for four to six weeks. You may then be referred to have physiotherapy and exercises to gain the lost strength of the arm and facilitate range of motion. Complete recovery from surgery can take about a year though most people recover much of the range of motion and strength in four to six months.
For enquiries related to Biceps Tendon Rupture and its treatment options, send a message to www.BangaloreShoulderInstitute.com/contact
