Once a bicep is torn, it unfortunately will not reattach itself to the bone and heal on its own. There are, however, a variety of treatment options available depending on the severity of your injury and whether it was a partial or complete tear.
Can a torn bicep tendon heal without surgery?
Most people can recover without surgery from a shoulder or bicep tendon tear. The pain from a biceps tendon tear can resolve itself over time and minor arm weakness may never bother the patient.
How long does it take for a partially torn bicep tendon to heal?
Torn bicep tendon recovery time
Recovery time depends on the severity of the bicep tendon tear, as well as type of treatment. 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.
What does a torn bicep tendon feel like?
The most obvious symptom will be a sudden, severe pain in the upper part of your arm or at the elbow, depending on where the tendon is injured. You may hear or feel a “pop” when a tendon tears. Other signs that you may have torn a biceps tendon can include: Sharp pain at the shoulder or elbow.
How do you treat a torn bicep tendon?
Treatment
- Ice. Apply cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day to keep down swelling. …
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Drugs like ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen reduce pain and swelling.
- Rest. Avoid heavy lifting and overhead activities to relieve pain and limit swelling. …
- Physical therapy.
Is a torn bicep an emergency?
Distal biceps tendon ruptures almost always need urgent surgical repair as the patient may lose significant functioning of the affected arm [8]. This patient was correctly diagnosed with a long head biceps tendon rupture.
How long can you wait to repair a torn bicep?
Surgery to repair the tendon should be performed during the first 2 to 3 weeks after injury. After this time, the tendon and biceps muscle begin to scar and shorten, and restoring arm function with surgery may not be possible.
Is distal bicep surgery worth it?
Surgeons seem to agree that the benefit of surgery is a little more supination strength, with flexion strength returning close to normal with or without surgery. An untreated rupture causes less deformity than with proximal biceps rupture. Surgery adds a scar and does not entirely prevent deformity.
What happens if a torn tendon is not repaired?
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.
How do I know if I have a torn bicep distal tendon?
Signs and symptoms of an Rupture of the Distal Biceps Tendon at the Elbow may include:
- Pain, swelling and/or bruising in the front of the elbow.
- Weakness in the affected arm when bending or twisting the elbow.
- Inability to feel the tendon and/or seeing the biceps muscle belly pull up towards the shoulder.
Can I still workout with a torn bicep tendon?
In the case of a complete tear of the long head tendon, the short head tendon will allow you to continue using your biceps muscle. However, it can cause cramping and fatigue of the arm that may become worse with time.
What is the fastest way to heal bicep tendonitis?
Biceps tendinitis is typically first treated with simple methods.
- Rest. The first step toward recovery is to avoid activities that cause pain.
- Ice. Apply cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, to keep swelling down. …
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. …
- Steroid injections. …
- Physical therapy.
How long can you wait to repair a tendon?
The repaired tendon will usually be back to full strength after about 12 weeks, but it can take up to 6 months to regain the full range of movement. In some cases, it may never be possible to move the affected finger or thumb as much as before it was damaged.
How long does bicep tendon surgery take?
Surgery usually takes about 1 hour. The tendon is repaired through a small incision in the front of the elbow. Sometimes, a second incision in the back of the elbow may be needed. After surgery, a splint or brace is used to protect the repair for a short time while it heals.