How To Repair A Popeye Muscle?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. strengthening and stretching exercises for your arm and shoulder.
  2. range-of-motion and flexibility exercises for your arm and shoulder.
  3. occupational therapy to help you with your daily work activities.

How do you get a Popeye muscle?


If you sustain damage to the tendon that connects your biceps to your bones

, it can rupture painfully. When it does, your biceps will tense into a painful ball that resembles the arms of the 1930’s cartoon character Popeye, which is why this injury is sometimes called a “ Popeye’s muscle” or “Popeye Deformity”.

What do you do with Popeye arm?

How long does a torn bicep tendon take to heal?

Torn bicep tendon recovery time

Even mild injuries can take

at least two months

to heal. It often takes four to five months before you can start returning to normal activities. After surgery, you’ll probably need to wear a sling or otherwise immobilize your arm such as in a splint or cast for four to six weeks.

Can a Popeye muscle be repaired?

Popeye deformity is often treated conservatively, but

sometimes surgery may be used to repair the tendon

.

How do you rehab a torn bicep?

  1. Rest. You will be instructed in ways that allows the limb to rest to promote healing.
  2. Icing. Your physical therapist will show you how to apply ice to the affected area to manage pain and swelling.
  3. Range-of-Motion Activities. …
  4. Strengthening Exercises. …
  5. Functional Activities. …
  6. Education.

Can Popeye bicep be fixed without surgery?

Only in the case of this problem or deformity, a “Popeye muscle” isn’t a sign of strength. Instead, there is muscle weakness. Surgery is not always advised.

If there is no loss of motion, strength, or function and it’s just a matter of a different appearance, then surgery can be avoided.

Did I tear my bicep muscle?

The most common symptom of a bicep tear or strain is

a sudden burst of pain in the upper arm near the shoulder

. You could also hear a “popping” sound as the tendon tears. Other signs that you may have torn a bicep tendon can include: Weakness in the shoulder.

What is a Popeye deformity?

The long head of your biceps goes into your shoulder. “

When that tendon tears, your muscle contracts like a ball that looks like Popeye when he eats spinach

, which is why this injury is colloquially known as the Popeye deformity,” says sports medicine physician Dominic King, DO.

How do you heal a torn upper arm muscle?

  1. Rest: Avoiding strenuous activities may allow the tendon time to heal. …
  2. Ice: Applying ice packs to the area for 20 minutes at a time may help reduce swelling. …
  3. Medications: Some medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may help reduce pain and inflammation.

What happens if you don’t repair torn tendons?

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?

  • Elbow flexion and extension. Gently bend your injured arm and place your palm up to your shoulder. …
  • Biceps curl. Hold a 5 or 8-pound weight or a half-gallon water bottle in your injured arm and lift it forward towards your shoulder. …
  • Resisted shoulder external rotation. …
  • Sleeper stretch.

How long does a torn bicep take to heal without surgery?

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.

How do you treat proximal bicep tear?

When the proximal biceps tendon ruptures, the immediate treatment should consist of the

application of ice to the upper arm, the use of an arm sling to support the arm and elbow, and the administration of an anti-inflammatory medication

(if your medical history allows their use).

How long does it take for Popeye to heal?

Popeye Prognosis in Fish

It takes

weeks or months

for the swelling to diminish, and damage to the cornea of the fish can be even slower to heal. However, severe damage to the fish’s eye may never heal completely, even if the swelling itself goes down.

Can you lift weights with a torn bicep?

Getting Back to Full Strength


You can plan to wait at least six months to return to unrestricted weight lifting after distal biceps surgery

. When you can lift heavy weights with no pain, there are many exercises you can do to fully strengthen your bicep tendon.

Why does my bicep throb?


Biceps tendonitis is usually caused by overuse, especially repetitive throwing-type motions of the arm

. It can also be caused by pre-existing shoulder injuries, sudden force or older age. Symptoms include a throbbing, aching pain in the shoulder that may radiate down the arm.

Kim Nguyen
Author
Kim Nguyen
Kim Nguyen is a fitness expert and personal trainer with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and has trained a variety of clients, from professional athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. Kim is passionate about helping people achieve their fitness goals and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.