Tennis requires the use of many muscles of the shoulder, arm and back. Pain in the biceps could be radiating from any one of these muscles, although it is typically caused by a certain few. Many times the symptoms will indicate where the injury is located. If the pain is persistent, consult with a doctor.
Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles that support and stabilize the shoulder. These muscles and tendons are often strained when playing tennis, primarily from the motion of an overhead serve, and they can be pinched or torn if you are using improper form or if there is an abnormality in the anatomy. The pain from a rotator cuff injury often radiates to the biceps.
Biceps Tendinitis
The symptoms of bicep tendinitis are tenderness or pain in the front of the shoulder made worse when lifting the arm, pain that moves down the upper arm bone and an occasional snapping sound or sensation in the shoulder. The pain is caused by inflammation of the long head of the biceps tendon, which attaches to the shoulder. There is often an associated injury of the rotator cuff, as well as other injuries or issues with the shoulder.
Biceps Strain
A muscle strain is the tear or stretching of a muscle that leads to pain. Symptoms include muscle pain and tenderness after activity; muscle cramping; and muscle swelling or discoloration, or both. In more severe strains, there can be a loss of strength or complete loss of function. Occasionally, there will be a physical malformation in the muscle, such as a dent or gap.
Consideration
If the pain in the biceps is constant, or even if it comes and goes, any activity that affects it should be stopped immediately. Consult with a sports medicine doctor; they are familiar with common injuries and can isolate the issue more quickly. It could just be a simple matter of correcting the form you use to serve, or it could be a more serious issue that requires surgery. Continuing with the activity that is causing pain could cause long-term damage to the muscle or tendon.
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