Distal Biceps Tendon Injury

The distal biceps muscle, located in the front of your upper arm, is a large, strong muscle that helps you bend your elbow and rotate your forearm and keeps your shoulder stable. Your distal biceps tendons attach the biceps muscle to bones in the shoulder and in the elbow.

While a distal biceps tendon tear injury can be partial or complete, the tendon is usually torn completely through. This means that the entire muscle is detached from the bone and pulled toward the shoulder. The torn distal biceps tendon will not grow back to the bone and heal.

Other arm muscles make it possible to bend the elbow fairly well without the biceps. However, they cannot fulfill all the functions, especially the motion of rotating the forearm from palm down to palm up.

When this kind of distal bicep tendon injury occurs, surgery is usually in order. Turn to the experts at Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital for your care.

Diagnosing a Distal Biceps Tendon Injury

Your physician will look for swelling around the biceps and bruising and check if there is a gap in the front of the elbow where the distal biceps tendon should be. They will also ask you questions about how it occurred, test your ability to twist your forearm, and may order X-rays.

Distal Biceps Tendon Treatment

Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital orthopedic surgery specialists use several types of procedures to reattach the distal biceps tendon to the forearm bone. Some doctors prefer to use two incisions, while others only one incision.

Sometimes the tendon is attached with stitches through holes drilled in the bone. Other times, small metal implants are used to attach the tendon to the bone.

Your surgeon will consider all the specifics of your situation and decide upon the most appropriate approach to your distal biceps injury.