Biceps Tendon Ruptures

The Biceps Brachii, commonly known as biceps, is a muscle located in the anterior aspect of the arm. It is composed of two heads, the short which originates from the coracoid process (part of the scapula, located in the anterior aspect of your shoulder), and the long head, which arises from the tubercle of the scapula (bone prominence located above the shoulder joint). The biceps attaches to the radius, in a bone prominence named bicipital tuberosity. Due to its anatomy, the biceps crosses multiple joints and has the functions of bending the elbow, supinating the forearm (turning the palm of the hand from facing down to facing up), and controlling shoulder flexion. Due to its anatomy, biceps tendon ruptures can happen in three locations, at the insertion, or one of the two heads (long or short). Among these tendon ruptures, injuries reported to the long head are the most common. Long-head tendon injuries can occur for several reasons, such as overuse, degeneration, and acute traumatic events. At the moment of the injury, in which stress that leads to high levels of contractions and stretch is usually present, patients typically report an audible pop, and sharp pain together with a snapping sensation in the front of the shoulder. After the injury, typical symptoms include anterior shoulder pain, swelling, bruising, biceps deformity, and impacted shoulder and elbow functioning.

Management

Long-head biceps tendon ruptures can be treated both conservatively and surgically, depending on the levels of functional restriction, associated injuries, and patient characteristics (e.g.: age, activity levels, sports needs, etc). Isolated injuries in the elderly population are typically treated non-surgically, while in younger athletes, surgical treatment tends to be the most commonly selected option. After surgery, a period of immobilisation/protection with the use of a sling or brace is typically recommended and rehabilitation should start as soon as indicated by the medical team. In Isokinetic, after being thoughtfully visited by one of our specialised doctors who will provide you with an accurate diagnosis, your recovery process will be structured in different stages and take place in four different environments, the pool, the gym, the movement analysis and retraining room and the pitch. In the early stages, the main goals are to minimise your pain, recover your mobility, and gradually enhance your upper limb functioning. In the mid-stage of rehabilitation, shoulder and biceps strength, and endurance recovery become the priority, together with the optimisation of the general movement quality to learn how to integrate the shoulder-arm complex back into activities of daily living and sports. Finally, to complete the recovery process, on-field rehabilitation plays a fundamental role in allowing our patients to safely and effectively return to participate in their favourite activities and sports that require the utilisation of the upper limb (e.g.: throwing-, rackets-, falling-, lifting- related sports), maximising the recovery outcomes and reducing the likelihood of complications.

Biceps Tendon Ruptures

Management

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