Biceps
Rupture
A biceps
rupture involves
a complete
tear of the
main tendon
that
attaches the
top of the
biceps
muscle to
the
shoulder. It
happens most
often in
middle-aged
people and
is usually
due to years
of wear and
tear on the
shoulder. A
torn biceps
in younger
athletes
sometimes
occurs
during
weightlifting
or from
actions that
cause a
sudden load
on the arm,
such as hard
fall with
the arm
outstretched.
Causes
Biceps
ruptures
generally
occur in
people who
are between
40 and 60
years old.
People in
this age
group who've
had shoulder
problems for
a long time
are at most
risk. Often
the biceps
ruptures
after a long
history of
shoulder
pain from tendonitis(inflammation
of hte
tendon) or
problems
with shoulder
impingement.
Shoulder
impingement
is a
condition
where the
soft tissues
between the
ball of the
upper arm
and the top
of the
shoulder
blade (acromion)
get squeezed
with arm
motion.
Years of
shoulder
wear and
tear begin
to fray the
biceps
tendon .
Eventually,
the long
head of the
biceps
weakens and
becomes
prone to
tears or
ruptures.
Examination
of the
tissues
within most
torn or
ruptured
biceps
tendons
commonly
shows signs
ofdegeneration.
Degeneration
in a tendon
causes a
loss of the
normal
arrangement
of the
collagen
fibers that
join
together to
form the
tendon. Some
of the
individual
strands of
the tendon
become
jumbled due
to the
degeneration,
other fibers
break, and
the tendon
loses
strength.
A rupture of
the biceps
tendon can
happen from
a seemingly
minor
injury. When
it happens
for no
apparent
reason, the
rupture is
called nontraumatic.
Aging adults
with rotator
cuff tears
also
commonly
have a
biceps
tendon
rupture.
When the
rotator cuff
is torn, the
ball of the
humerus is
free to move
too far up
and forward
in the
shoulder
socket and
can impact
the biceps
tendon. The
dama ge
may begin to
weaken the
biceps
tendon and
cause it to
eventually
rupture.
Symptoms
Patients
often recall
hearing and
feeling a
snap in the
top of the
shoulder.
Immediate
and sharp
pain follow.
The pain
often
subsides
quickly with
a complete
rupture
because
tension is
immediately
taken off
the pain
sensors in
the tendon.
Soon
afterward,
bruising may
develop in
the middle
of the upper
arm and
spread down
to the
elbow. The
biceps may
appear to
have balled
up,
especially
in younger
patients
who've had a
traumatic
biceps
rupture. The
arm may feel
weak at
first with
attempts to
bend the
elbow or
lift the
shoulder.
The biceps
tendon
sometimes
only tears
part of the
way. If so,
a pop may
not be felt
or heard.
Instead, the
front of the
shoulder may
simply be
painful, and
the arm may
feel weak
with the
same arm
movements
that are
affected
with a
complete
biceps
rupture. |
Biceps Rupture
