Overview:
Any swelling involving the biceps muscle is called as biceps tendinitis. Most commonly seen in young patients involved in sports involving weight training and aggressive movements of the upper limbs. More commonly , tennis, badminton, golf, baseball and other throwing sports. Biceps muscle tendon arises from the shoulder joint and is usually inflamed secondary to Rotator cuff (muscle cover that moves the ball in the socket). The main reason is a supra-physiological loading of this tendon due to exercises or repetitive micro-trauma.
Symptoms:
Fraying of this tendon is commonly seen in overhead athletes and may also be associated with instability and throwing shoulder also. A precise diagnosis is imperative to treatment and needs orthopaedic consultation and tailored exercise regime. The usual patient will complain of a typical shoulder pain arising from the top and radiating to the elbow and the neck. Biceps is a muscle which is involved in lifting of weight or movement of arm and fore-arm. Any repeated activity involving the biceps can lead to strain and tendinosis.
Treatment:
Most patients of biceps tendinitis can be treated conservatively if the disease is diagnosed early on. The diagnosis needs complete evaluation by a sports medicine expert. The clinician may involve use of MRI scan/Dynamic USG to screen the pain generating structures. The injury may be classified as a low or a high grade sprain where the injuries from collision sports usually require surgical treatment. Low grade injuries respond well to conservative treatment . This involves
- Compression
- Rest
- Ice Packs
- Support
- Prevent re-injury
Do I require surgery ?
Surgery might be warranted in cases where Biceps tendinitis is associated with rotator cuff and SLAP lesions or even isolated Biceps tendon tear. Along with the inflammation of the tendon, there is associated labral tears and rotator cuff tears in many cases. Athletes are more prone for a SLAP/Labral leison and elder population is more predisposed to having a secondary tendonitis to rotator cuff insufficiency.
Biceps pain may be a primary or an associated secondary pathology. The patient history and clinical examination helps the consultant differentiate between primary and secondary problem. The rehabilitation and surgical procedure is completely different in both cases and it is advised to visit your orthopaedic for any shoulder pain for diagnosing the cause ! Meet our experts in shoulder and sports injuries
Learn more on SLAP Repair & Rotator cuff lesions !
