Dr. Ryan Simovitch: Repairing Biceps Tendon Tears
Dr. Ryan Simovitch
Ask the Shoulder Surgeon
Question: I was lifting a very heavy weight and heard a pop in my biceps area. I can still move my arm up and down, but I have lost some strength. There was a small amount of swelling and bruising from my wrist to mid upper arm. Will this require surgery to repair? How long is the recovery?
Answer: You have described the typical presentation for a biceps tendon or muscle tear. Often, this injury is accompanied by a “popeye deformity,” which is when the normally-elongated biceps muscle shortens.
Initially, treatment should involve rest, ice and compression. Prompt diagnosis is important.
Although surgical repair is not always necessary, it is best done within the first week or two after the injury. Surgical repair is typically done as an outpatient procedure and requires only a one-inch incision is made over the front of the arm. The biceps is then reinserted into the bone. No casting is necessary.
Patients are allowed to immediately begin range-of-motion but are limited to lifting the weight of a coffee cup for four weeks. Progressive resistance is then allowed with a return back to heavy lifting, including weight training between three and four months after surgery. Physical therapy can be an alternative to surgery.
You may read the original article here, published Sep. 27, 2013.
Dr. Ryan Simovitch specializes in treating Sports Injuries, Shoulders & Arthroscopy and is available in the Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Wellington, and Jupiter locations.
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