Biceps Tendonitis
July 10, 2007
The muscle in the front of our upper arms, known as the biceps, help to keep the upper arm bone or the humerus in place, in the shoulder socket. Not only does it keep it in a stable position but it also helps us play sports like tennis or pitching. It helps to speed up and slow down the arm during movements where the arm is overhead. The bicep muscles in our shoulders are connected with hard, cord-like structures called tendons. They connect one end of the bicep muscles to the shoulder in two places. Tendons then connect the bicep muscles to the much smaller bone in the lower arm called the radius at the other end of the muscle. Inflammation or irritation of the tendons is known as a condition called tendonitis.
Signs and symptoms There are many injuries that can occur around the bicep tendons. The most common cause of tendonitis in the biceps is by recurring overhead activity. The symptoms of this injury are: § A pain in the arm when it is overhead or bent in a different direction. § A local softness over the groove in the upper arm bone as a tendon passes over. § A short snap in the shoulder area or an unusual feeling in the shoulder area. Diagnosis and treatment There are a lot of signs to know if you have bicep tendonitis. You may be given a physical examination by your local doctor, where they will check the shoulder area for how soft the shoulder is, if there is any indication of instability in the shoulder or for a range of motion.
Your doctor might also ask you to hold your arm in the air or rotate the arm backwards and forwards. If a diagnosis cannot be found then an x-ray will be requested to see if there are any conditions that might be causing the irritation. An MRI scan may also be requested by your doctor to check for any damage to the tendons. The tendon could deteriorate over time. This comes with age, overusing the tendon and muscle and also stress can make it damaged. There might not be any inflammation present at this point.
The first treatment is a traditional method. The doctor will ask you to rest the arm and shoulder fro a few days. You might have to try a different sport out for a while just while you build up strength in the muscles again. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and ice packs can also help reduce the inflammation of the tendon. A stretching and continuing to strengthen the muscle may also be a good way to the restore the range of motion. Then after while you should be able to get back to the activities you had to give up when you where diagnosed with tendonitis of the biceps.
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