When Lifting Goes Wrong
The biceps are some of the most popular muscles targeted by weightlifters. The muscle group is located in the upper arm and connects the scapula bone in the shoulder with the radius bone at the elbow. Tendons connected to both joints control the biceps when flexing and relaxing. The muscle is critical for raising and lowering the arms, especially if lifting weights. However, for a few reasons, weightlifters and other people can experience injuries that can lead to damage anywhere within the 3 tendons that move the bicep. Such an injury is usually referred to as a tear. Often, surgery might be the only solution to get a weightlifter back into the gym.
How do bicep tears form?
There are 2 primary causes of a bicep tear. An injury can occur if an individual doesn’t use proper form when lifting heavy objects like weights. Meanwhile, another type of injury can occur if a person falls on the arm. Usually, bicep tears found at the elbow are due to injury. By contrast, overuse tears develop over time and are often caused by repetitive motions. Spotting the most common symptoms of a bicep tear can ensure that a person seeks prompt medical care to prevent further damage.
1. Unexplained bruising
Seeing purple or yellow bruising on the arm is more commonly associated with direct injuries to the tendons that control the bicep. In such scenarios, discoloration is often found on the upper arm area or even near the elbow. If a bruise appears after a fall, a tear could have occurred.
2. Limited range of motion
Keep in mind that tendons are directly responsible for controlling bicep movement, which ultimately impacts how well the arm can move. Experiencing a poor range of motion (ROM) is a serious symptom that damage to the muscle has occurred. Particularly painful movements include attempting to rotate the arm from where the palm shifts from facing down to facing up.
3. Physical discomfort
Unsurprisingly, experiencing pain is a hallmark sign that an injury has occurred anywhere in the body. Bicep tears are no different. When such an injury takes place, people most commonly describe feeling a sharp pain at the shoulder or lower in the elbow joint. Similarly, the area might feel weak, and a person may struggle to support weight with the impacted arm.
Repairing bicep tears
Depending on the severity of the damage, different methods might be used to treat a bicep tear. For minor tears, people might be urged to try non-invasive at-home solutions such as resting the arm, icing the area to reduce swelling, and taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications to control discomfort. However, in more severe cases, bicep tenodesis surgery may be required. People with bicep injuries caused by repetitive motions, older age, more serious tears, or even a damaged rotator cuff are considered the prime candidates for surgery.
Get back to lifting
Don’t try to power through with a bicep tear, especially for more active individuals like athletes and weightlifters. With proper care during the recovery period, most people can fully heal and return to previous activities within weeks. Following recovery timelines and engaging in necessary physical therapy (PT) sessions are critical to achieving such a goal. Individuals concerned that a bicep tear might be sidelining activities should speak with a physician for an evaluation.
