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Rehabilitation
for a biceps rupture
Stretching
exercises
Alternative
exercises
Rehabilitation
after surgery
How
long will the effects of the injury last?
When
can I return to my sport or activity?
Read
more about a biceps rupture
Rehabilitation for a biceps rupture
As an athlete, your number one concern is getting back to full strength
as soon as possible so that you can return to training and competition.
That is why appropriate rehabilitation is extremely important. The most
common rehabilitation for a biceps rupture often includes the following:
- Rest
Avoid activity during the acute phase. Refrain from forceful biceps
use such as weightlifting until arm is fully healed.
- Ice
Apply ice or a cold pack to the biceps muscle for 15 to 20 minutes,
4 times a day for several days to keep swelling down. Wrap the ice or
cold pack in a towel. Do not apply the ice directly to your skin.
- Medication
Take ibuprofen to help reduce inflammation and pain.
- Stretching
When the acute pain is gone, start gentle stretching exercises as recommended
by your doctor. Stay within pain limits. Hold each stretch for about
10 seconds and repeat 6 times.
- Strengthening
Begin strengthening exercises for your biceps and arm muscles as recommended
by your doctor.
- Gradual Return
to Your Sport
Begin light arm motions of your sport or activity as recommended by
your doctor. (For example: passing a football,
throwing a baseball, tennis
strokes, golf
swings). Refrain from forceful biceps use such as weightlifting,
until arm is fully healed.
- Surgery
Surgical repair may be necessary for of a complete tendon tear.
Stretching Exercises
The major objectives
of rehabilitation from a biceps rupture are to improve the elasticity
of the biceps muscle and to gradually increase pain-free range of motion.
The exercises below stretch the muscles of the forearm and upper arm.
These exercises should be performed once or twice daily. Exercises include:
- Bicep stretch
Stand erect with arms raised to shoulder height and palms up. Press
arms backward until stretch is felt. Hold this position for three to
five seconds, then relax for 3 to 5 seconds. Perform this exercise 10
times. The bicep is stretched by this exercise as well as the muscles
of the shoulder and upper chest.
- Wrist flexor stretch
Extend affected arm forward with palm up and elbow straight. Place fingers
and palm of opposite hand across palm and fingers of the extended hand
and draw back with it until stretch is felt in the forearm. Hold this
position for 3 to 5 seconds, then relax for three to five seconds. Perform
this exercise 10 times.
- Wrist extensor
stretch
Extend affected arm forward with palm down, elbow straight, and fingers
slightly curled. Grasp the affected side hand with other hand and draw
affected side hand down until stretch is felt in the forearm. Hold this
position from 3 to 5 seconds, then relax for 3 to 5 seconds. Perform
this exercise 10 times.
- Pronation/Suppination
stretch
Extend affected arm forward in a hand-shaking position with palm facing
up. Slowly rotate the hand from a palm-up position to a palm-down position.
Hold for 3 to 5 seconds and then rotate back. Perform this exercise
10 times. When you work your way up to strength training, you may use
a small weight while rotating the hand and wrist.
- Tricep stretch
Stand erect with feet at about shoulder width. Raise injured arm at
the shoulder with elbow bent and place the forearm behind the head.
Grasp the injured elbow with opposite hand and draw it toward the center
of the body until stretch is felt. Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds,
then relax for 3 to 5 seconds. Perform this exercise 10 times.
- Strengthening exercises
The following exercises develop strength of the muscles of the forearm
and upper arm. It's important to get your doctor's permission before
beginning strengthening exercises. To maintain symmetry of the arms
in terms of strength and appearance, perform these with the uninjured
arm as well as the injured arm.
- Arm curls
Either standing or sitting, grasp a 2- to 4-pound dumbbell in one hand.
With palm up, flex elbow and draw the dumbbell up to the same side shoulder
while maintaining erect posture. Do not bend at the waist or swing the
dumbbell. Lower dumbbell slowly and with control to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise 10 times. Use a heavier dumbbell as strength increases.
- Wrist extension
Sit in a chair with forearm resting on the end of a table, palm down.
Grasp a light weight dumbbell and raise the weight up as high as possible
while maintaining contact with the table top. Hold this position for
3 to 5 seconds. Relax for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise 5 to
10 times. Substitute a heavier dumbbell as strength increases.
Alternative exercises
During the period when normal training should be avoided, alternative
exercises may be used. These activities should not require any actions
that create or intensify pain at the site of injury. They include:
Rehabilitation
after surgery
Your biceps rupture may require surgery to reattach the tendon to the
bone. Keep in mind that the soft tissue needs time to heal before exercise
can begin. A physical therapy program usually begins with range-of-motion
and resistive exercises, then incorporates power, aerobic and muscular
endurance, flexibility, and coordination drills.
Finally, patients
develop speed and agility through sport-specific exercise routines.
The ultimate goal
of surgery is to provide dynamic stability while maintaining full range
of motion, so that athletes can return to competitive or recreational
sports. Progress is assessed by the patient's perception of how stable
the biceps muscle feels and by comparing the strength and stability of
the injured and uninjured arms.
How long will the
effects of my injury last?
The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity
as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your
injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury
at a different rate. Return to your activity is determined by how soon
your biceps rupture recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been
since your injury occurred.
It also depends on
how serious the injury is. Instances where you have a complete tear of
the distal biceps tendon, and reconstructive surgery is required, may
require up to 6 months before you can return to full participation. For
patients with a partial tear, you may be back to normal activity in 2
to 3 months.
A good rule is to
allow pain to dictate when you're ready to return to activity. You should
return in moderation, and back off if you feel any pain.
You may safely return
to your sport or activity when you have full strength and range of motion
in the injured arm compared to the uninjured arm.
When can I return
to my sport or activity?
Gentle rehabilitation exercises may be performed within a few weeks, but
keep in mind that forceful biceps activity is often restricted for 4 to
6 months. Of course, time for return to activity is much longer when surgery
is necessary.
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