What Are The Treatments For A Bicep Muscle Tear?

A person suffering from a bicep tear near the shoulder or the elbow should immobilize the shoulder and elbow of the affected arm. Pain medication may also be taken, and ice should be applied to the affected area for 20 minutes to reduce pain and swelling. A person must seek advanced medical care for hospitalized treatment, as a torn bicep may seriously alter a person's ability to use an arm.

Types

Treatments for a biceps tear include nonsurgical methods such as rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medicines, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, stretching and strengthening exercises. Surgical procedures focus on attaching a person's biceps tendon back to his bone by drilling into the bone or using metal implants; nonsurgical treatments may then be applied after surgery.

Location

Treatment for bicep tears are commonly focused around a person's shoulder where her tendons attach to her shoulder blade. Treatments may also be applied near her elbow where the distal end of her bicep muscle inserts on one of her forearm bones, just below her elbow.

Features

A biceps tear at the shoulder is commonly the result of a ruptured tendon of the long head of the biceps muscle, leaving the tendon of the short head of the bicep still attached. A person may choose to utilize nonsurgical treatments as opposed to surgery because he will still have function of his bicep muscle due to the short head attachment. If a person is active, works in manual labor or is an athlete, he should opt for the surgical reattachment, as surgery is necessary to recover the near-normal strength and function of his arm, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Time Frame

Once reattachment is completed, a person must rest her arm, continue to use an ice pack and continue to take anti-inflammatory medicine for pain. After one week and with her physician's approval, she may begin to do gentle range of motion or stretching exercises. Electrical stimulation may then be used to relax the bicep muscle if it spasms; ultrasound and heat packs are also incorporated after the first week to encourage healing and improve the exchange of nutrients and waste products. Within three to six weeks, strengthening exercises against little resistance may be incorporated as long as there is no pain. Range of motion and strengthening exercises are gradually increased in difficulty according to a person's response to therapy. It takes approximately 40 to 50 weeks for a person to recover 85 to 95 percent of her normal strength, according to Peggy Houglum, Ph.D., in her book "Therapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries."

Warning

A person should completely heal his torn bicep. If he rushes back into his regular workout or work schedule without following his treatment protocol, he is likely to tear his bicep muscle again. This will further decrease his work capacity. It will also delay recovering his full ability to play sports or train with the near-normal strength and function of his arm.