Biceps tendon ruptures can cause pain, swelling, and loss of function in the arm. Proximal ruptures are common and have few symptoms, while distal ruptures often require surgery to repair. Treatment varies depending on the type of rupture.
The bicep muscle and tendons are just one example of a few of the many surface structures found in the arm. Many shoulder and arm injuries are the result of trauma to these structures. When an injury causes the biceps tendon to detach from its connection to the bone, it is called a biceps tendon rupture. This injury can be very painful, bruising and swelling your arm; the tendon injury can also prevent the muscle from moving the bone. There are two types of this type of rupture: proximal biceps tendon rupture and distal biceps tendon rupture.
A rupture of the biceps at the proximal end is most commonly seen in patients and has very few symptoms. It occurs when there is a tear in the biceps tendon where it meets the shoulder joint. When the rupture occurs, there is usually a sudden pain along with a popping sound that can be heard. The pain is minimal, and more often than not, the person will experience pain relief after the breakup. The tendon is detached from the bone, so it will retract into the arm and a bulge in the biceps muscle is evident. A slight twitch is often noted, but patients usually do not feel loss of function in the arm or shoulders because the biceps tendon attaches to the shoulder in two places.
A tear that occurs near the elbow joint is called a distal tear, which often involves surgery to repair the tendon. Loss of strength will result if a person does not seek surgery to correct this break. This will usually happen to the elbow. Symptoms of this type of break are characterized by a popping sound where the break occurred and sudden pain around the front of the elbow. Bruising and swelling are also common symptoms.
Treatment for this type of break varies depending on the type of break. Usually, surgery is not required for a proximal biceps tendon rupture, but surgery is often required for a distal biceps tendon rupture. The reason for this is because the biceps tendon is attached at two points at the proximal end, while it is only attached at one point at the distal end.
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