Bicep Tendon Repair Specialist

Ortho 1 Medical Group

Orthopedic Specialists located in La Jolla, CA & San Diego, CA

Everyday stress on your biceps tendons causes tissue damage. When the tendons tear, their maximum strength can be restored using a bicep tendon repair performed by the surgical team at Ortho 1 Medical Group. As experienced orthopedic surgeons, they have completed many successful bicep tendon repairs. These repairs correct muscle deformities and restore function so that you can return to an active lifestyle. Call the office in San Diego, La Jolla, or Coronado, California, today or go online to schedule an appointment.

Bicep Tendon Repair Q&A

When would I need a bicep tendon repair?

The bicep brachii, or more simply bicep, is the large muscle on the front side of your upper arm. Two tendons connect the bicep to your shoulder socket and shoulder blade. A single tendon at the bottom of the bicep runs past your elbow, attaching to the radius bone in your lower arm.

The tendons at your shoulder endure considerable stress as they lift and rotate your lower arm. As a result, they become frayed and inflamed. Without time to heal, the weakened tissues cause a partial or complete tendon tear.

When the tendon attached to your elbow tears, it’s usually caused by a sudden injury. However, bicep tendon tears at the elbow are uncommon.

The first line of treatment for a partial tear includes immobilization and physical therapy. But when a bicep tendon tears away from the bone, surgical repair is the only way to reattach it and recover its maximum strength.

What symptoms indicate I need a bicep tendon repair?

Bicep tendon tears cause symptoms like:

Sharp pain in your upper arm
Biceps cramping when using your arm
Bruising in the upper arm, elbow, and forearm
Pain at the shoulder or elbow
Difficulty turning your palm up and down
Abnormal bulge in the bicep muscle
Weakness when bending your elbow
Gap in the muscle near the shoulder or elbow

You might have heard a pop when the tendon ruptured. The pain is severe at first and might improve after a week or two. But you’ll still have the injury.

What happens during bicep tendon repair?

The Ortho 1 Medical Group specializes in several techniques to repair your bicep tendon. They perform minimally invasive surgery in most cases, using small incisions and narrow instruments to repair the tendon and reattach it to the bone.

When connecting the torn tendon to the bone, your surgeon might drill a hole in the bone, guide the tendon through the hole, and stitch it to the bone. Or they might attach the tendon to the bone with metal anchors. Before your procedure, they explain the different surgical techniques and recommend the one that’s best for your injury.

After your bicep tendon repair, you need to keep the joint immobile for several weeks to give the tissues time to heal. Then you begin physical therapy to support your recovery.

Call Ortho 1 Medical Group today or book an appointment online if you have a bicep tendon injury.

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