- Ice. Apply cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day to keep down swelling. …
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Drugs like ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen reduce pain and swelling.
- Rest. Avoid heavy lifting and overhead activities to relieve pain and limit swelling. …
- Physical therapy.
Can a bicep tear heal on its own?
Once a bicep is torn,
it unfortunately will not reattach itself to the bone and heal on its own
. There are, however, a variety of treatment options available depending on the severity of your injury and whether it was a partial or complete tear.
How long does a bicep tear take to heal?
It takes
about 3 to 4 months
for your biceps muscle to heal. You may be able to do easier daily activities in 2 to 3 weeks, as long as you don’t use your injured arm. Most people who work at a desk job can return to work in 1 to 2 weeks.
What does a torn bicep feel like?
The most obvious symptom will be a
sudden, severe pain in
the upper part of your arm or at the elbow, depending on where the tendon is injured. You may hear or feel a “pop” when a tendon tears. Other signs that you may have torn a biceps tendon can include: Sharp pain at the shoulder or elbow.
Can a torn bicep tendon heal without surgery?
Most people can recover without surgery from a shoulder or bicep tendon tear
. The pain from a biceps tendon tear can resolve itself over time and minor arm weakness may never bother the patient.
Can you move your arm with a torn bicep?
This stress can tear the tendon from the bone, and usually causes a complete tear. When you tear your bicep tendon at the elbow, your other arm muscles will compensate, so you’ll still have full
range
of motion. However, your arm will most likely lose strength if the tendon is not repaired.
Is a torn bicep an emergency?
Distal biceps tendon ruptures
almost always need urgent surgical repair
as the patient may lose significant functioning of the affected arm [8]. This patient was correctly diagnosed with a long head biceps tendon rupture.
How do you diagnose a torn bicep?
- Weakness in the shoulder.
- Bruising on the upper arm.
- Inability to move or rotate your arm.
- Change in the look of the bicep in the upper arm (it may look popped out)
- Muscle spasms.
Can you lift weights with a torn bicep?
After we give the biceps tendon enough time to heal to the radius bone you start physical therapy. Once you have completed your therapy, most patients are capable of returning to full activities — including sports, jobs with heavy lifting, and weight lifting.
How serious is a torn bicep tendon?
Because the biceps muscle attaches to the shoulder in two places, shoulder tendon tears are not necessarily
fully debilitating
; your muscle will still function because it’s still attached in one place. However, you will have some pain and tenderness and may experience difficulty rotating the forearm.
Do all bicep tears require surgery?
When is surgery recommended?
Most elbow bicep tendon tears require surgery
, but if you are older, less active, and don’t need full use of your arm, you may not need surgery for a bicep tendon tear at your elbow. Some shoulder biceps tears do not require surgery.
How long can you wait to repair a torn bicep tendon?
Surgery to repair the tendon should be performed during the
first 2 to 3 weeks after injury
. After this time, the tendon and biceps muscle begin to scar and shorten, and restoring arm function with surgery may not be possible.
What happens if a torn tendon is not repaired?
If left untreated, eventually it can result in other foot and leg problems, such as inflammation and
pain
in the ligaments in the soles of your foot (plantar faciitis), tendinitis in other parts of your foot, shin splints, pain in your ankles, knees and hips and, in severe cases, arthritis in your foot.
Should you wrap a torn bicep?
I advise patients
to avoid compression
because it can be difficult to wrap the shoulder and if you wrap the elbow incorrectly, it can result in hand swelling.
What exercises can I do with a torn bicep tendon?
- Active elbow flexion and extension: Gently bring the palm of the hand on your injured side up toward your shoulder, bending your elbow as much as you can. …
- Biceps stretch: Stand facing a wall (about 6 inches, or 15 centimeters, away from the wall).
How long does it take for an inflamed bicep tendon to heal?
Proximal biceps tendonitis usually heals well
in 6 weeks to a few months
and doesn’t cause any long-term problems. It’s important to rest, stretch, and rehabilitate the arm and shoulder long enough to let it heal fully. A slow return to activities and sports can help prevent the tendonitis from coming back.
