The Fitness Thread

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(07-13-2015, 11:59 AM)Benton Wrote: So figured I would put this here, since it's full of healthy people.

Was in the pool all day yesterday and spent a half hour launching kids. On the third launch of one who was a bit bigger than I should have been throwing, I got a sharp pain in my bicep. I can move the arm, but there's a little pain and limited movement. The part that kind of worries me, my bicep is sort of hanging to the side and I can't flex it. There's no swelling or discoloration, but I did stay in the pool for a couple hours after it happened. Got a doctor appointment, thinking it's just strained, but does it sound torn to anyone? Never had a muscle tear, so the non-flexing part is kind of worrying me.

I agree with fred it sounds like you have a ruptured bicep.  You can rupture it at the shoulder and it looks like...



...the head of the bicep is closer to the elbow.

You can rupture it at the elbow and it looks like...



...the head of the bicep is closer to the shoulder.




Tuck your elbow into you side, bent at 90 degrees, supinate and pronate your forearm (rotate your hand so palm faces up and down), you should be able to observe your bicep contract when your palm faces up and elongate when your palm faces down like the picture, if not you most likely ruptured one of the biceps tendons.

A bicep tendon rupture is treated surgically depending upon many factors and what you and the orthopedist decide.  However, many times surgery isn't performed because function is maintained by the brachioradialis which is why you can still bend your elbow.