If you’ve been diagnosed with a tear in the tendon which connects your biceps muscle to your shoulder you may require a tenodesis of your bicep tendon. Your tendons attach muscle to bone and your biceps tendons attach the biceps muscle of your upper arm to the elbow on one end and to the shoulder on the other. A long head biceps tendon (LHB) is the most common type of biceps tendon injury.

Tears in your biceps tendon may develop over time from repetitive motions of the shoulder or happen quickly from a traumatic injury. The most common type of biceps tendon injury occurs in the long head biceps tendon. Symptoms of a biceps tendon tear can include:

• Pain, tenderness or weakness in your shoulder and elbow
• Difficulty rotating your arm to a palm upward (or downward) position
• Cramping in your biceps during or after heavy use
• Appearance of bruises from the middle of your bicep down toward your elbow
• A bulge may appear in your upper arm, known as “Popeye muscle”
• A sudden, sharp pain in your upper arm which is sometimes accompanied by a popping or snapping sound

Some people are more prone to tearing their biceps tendon due to lifestyle choices and unavoidable factors such as:

• Age – the older you get, the more wear and tear your biceps will undergo
• Smoking – nicotine can reduce the supply of nutrients to the tendon and cause it to weaken
• Corticosteroids – this is a drug commonly used to treat many medical conditions including joint aches, have been linked to a higher risk of a biceps tear
• Overuse of the shoulder – sports requiring repeated overhead arm motion like swimming and tennis can strain your biceps tendon. You may also have a job which is physically demanding

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of a biceps tendon tear, you can still function well. You can have simple treatments such as applying ice, taking pain relief, rest, physiotherapy and cortisone injections may all help with recovery. However, if these non-surgical methods do not help, your Consultant will assess your mobility in your arm and shoulder to determine how severe your bicep tear is.

Biceps tenodesis is performed under general anaesthesia and is usually carried out through a small, open incision. Before beginning the surgery, your surgeon will first look inside the shoulder joint with a small camera called an arthroscope.

During a biceps tenodesis surgery, your Surgeon will insert a special type of screw or anchoring device into the upper part of the humerus (the upper arm bone). Your surgeon will then operate on the long head of the biceps and sew the remaining portion of the tendon onto the anchoring device so that it’s reattached to the humerus.

Your recovery time from a biceps tenodesis is a long process. Your Consultant will advise you to rest, wear a sling and physiotherapy. Four to six months after surgery, you can expect to have a functional range of motion adequate strength. It can take up to a year to make a complete recovery.