Biceps Tendinitis
Biceps tendinitis refers to inflammation of the biceps tendon in and around the shoulder joint. What a patient would experience is a pain in front of the shoulder moving to the mid-arm, pain and discomfort with lifting and overhead activities and sometimes you may have a snapping sound in your shoulder.
It may be caused by trauma eg a fall or lifting heavy objects, but it is mostly associated with repeated overhead activities ( overuse) eg in sports like tennis, volleyball, or it is a result of degenerative changes as we get older. It can be associated with Rotator cuff problems as well as shoulder instability ( SLAP) lesions.
Treatment is usually non-operative:
. Rest and restricting overhead activities and lifting
. Anti-inflammatory medication
. Steroid injections around the shoulder
.Physiotherapy to strengthen muscles around the shoulder to decrease the load on the biceps tendon.
If a patient does not respond to non-operative treatment, he will require surgery to either repair the tendon ( eg SLAP tears), remove the tendon from inside the shoulder and place it in a new position in the biceps groove ( tenodesis) or remove the tendon from inside the shoulder without reattaching it elsewhere ( tenotomy). These surgeries are all performed arthroscopically ie with minimally invasive techniques.