Bicep Tendonitis
With all the activities you subject your body to, it's really no wonder that shoulder injuries and biceps tendonitis are becoming so common.
Sports injuries alone account for a significant branch of the medical industry. Overdoing strenuous arm activities such as rowing, throwing or trying to lift too much weight can lead to bicep injuries. A torn bicep tendon is one of the most common and painful. A bicep tendon tear and biceps tendonitis can seriously slow you down.
Your biceps tendon is a rope-like tissue that stretches from your elbow to your shoulder. It's an important tendon because it's in charge of several motions. It allows you to:
- Bend your elbow
- Rotate your forearm
- Stabilize your shoulder
- Raise your shoulder
Bicep Tendonitis NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
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If you think you may be suffering from a bicep tendon tear or you're in need of biceps tendonitis treatment in Midtown Manhattan, you're probably experiencing one or more of the following:
- Pain in your shoulder or pain in your elbow
- Weakness in your shoulder or elbow
- Bunched-up muscles in your arms — a condition called Popeye muscle
Once you develop Popeye muscles, even the simplest act of holding a phone or tablet can lead to discomfort when your condition flares up.
Nobody Wants to Live Life on the Sidelines
A torn bicep tendon can limit your activities if you have a muscle imbalance, joint instability issues or rotator cuff weakness. When your chest muscles are tight and your back muscles are weak, your shoulders may slouch forward more than usual. If your tendons begin rubbing together when you raise your arms, it may be because the bony arch space they normally pass through has been compromised.
Instability issues and rotator cuff weakness can wreak havoc on your game and on your health. Your NYC sports injury doctor often encounters patients with one shoulder up in its socket and jammed into the overlying biceps tendon. These "jams" are commonly associated with sports involving overhead motions, such as basketball.
Pinching your biceps tendon like this is the result of bony projections and shoulder tears. Pinched bicep tendons cause swelling and frays that can last for varying amounts of time. Bicep tendon tears are the painful, common result of attempting to lift or move more weight than the strength of your muscle fibers can support.
Getting Back in the Game
Regular exercise and stretching helps you avoid biceps tendonitis and shoulder tendonitis because it strengthens those supporting muscles that include those in your:
Chest
Arms
Rotator cuff
Upper back
By keeping these muscles healthy and in good functioning order, you can prevent bicep tendonitis treatment. Consulting an experienced sports medicine and pain management doctor in Manhattan helps you establish the type of moderate, controlled exercise that promotes your total recovery and continued physical health.
Bicep Tendonitis Treatment
Biceps tendonitis is difficult to heal due to the versatile nature of your biceps. Every movement threatens to damage the tendon even further. And it's difficult to imagine a day without using your biceps. But while it's impossible to completely rest these tendons, your recovery benefits from:
- Avoiding activities that place stress on your weakened tendon
- Resting your arms as much as possible
- Applying ice to the area to significantly reduce any swelling
- Using topical pain relieving cream or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs
If your condition fails to improve or your swelling remains, contact your New York City medical team immediately. More advanced treatments may be necessary. Further biceps tendonitis treatment may include:
- Corticosteroid injections, which are a fast-working solution to inflammation and pain
- Surgery, always a last-resort treatment option, only used in the most extreme cases that aren't responding to other types of treatment
Ready to find relief from bicep tendonitis?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for evaluation and treatment.
Torn Bicep Tendon Treatment
When torn bicep tendon treatment requires immediate attention, the first treatment method is alternating heat and ice directly to the injury to relieve pain and reduce swelling. And while partial tears possess the ability to heal on their own, a complete bicep tendon tear is not only painful, but it presents a potential cycle of these types of problems recurring over and over.
If you've torn your biceps tendon in the past, you run a higher risk of re-injury and lingering tendonitis. Here are some treatment recommendations:
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Bicep Tendonitis Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to bicep tendonitis is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Bicep Tendonitis Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."