Can a bicep tear go unnoticed?

Author: Arvel Hettinger  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

However, biceps that tear because of age-related degeneration or overuse typically develop more slowly. Even if you don't experience sharp pain, a biceps tear often causes ongoing pain and tenderness in your shoulder or arm.

Can you tear a bicep without knowing?

A tear could develop over time due to overuse. In this case, instead of sudden, sharp pain, the pain and tenderness in the arm and shoulder will gradually increase if the tear isn't treated. Weakness in the shoulder and arm. A bicep tear weakens your arm and shoulder, such that you can't perform routine tasks.

What does a slightly torn bicep feel like?

The most common symptom of a bicep tear or strain is a sudden burst of pain in the upper arm near the shoulder. You could also hear a “popping” sound as the tendon tears. Other signs that you may have torn a bicep tendon can include: Weakness in the shoulder.

Can you still flex your bicep if it's torn?

The “long head” of the biceps tendon is much more likely to tear than the “short head.” Because the short head is typically still attached, most people can still use their biceps to move their arm, even when there is a complete tear of the long head.

How do you rule out a torn bicep?

Imaging Tests
  1. X-rays. Although X-rays cannot show soft tissues like the biceps tendon, they can be useful to look for other problems that can cause shoulder and elbow pain.
  2. Ultrasound. An ultrasound may help evaluate the soft tissues of the shoulder. ...
  3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

How to tell if your biceps tendon is torn

What is the two finger bicep test?

For a quick test, bend your arm at the elbow joint in to a bicep curl. In this muscle contraction, as you're flexing the elbow, you can measure your bicep gap. If you can fit more than 2 fingers in the gap between your bicep and your elbow, you may have short biceps!

Can you bend your arm with a torn bicep?

Symptoms of Distal Biceps Tendon Rupture

You may be unable to fully bend your elbow and may experience weakness when trying to rotate your arm. A full distal biceps tendon rupture usually causes the biceps muscle to move toward the shoulder, creating a bulge in the upper arm.

When is it too late to repair a torn bicep?

Optimal timing for surgery is within the first 2 weeks of injury. Primary repair can be performed up until 6 weeks from injury. Beyond 6 weeks, patients will often need augmentation of the tendon with a graft (allograft) to extend the tendon in order to complete a repair.

When should I worry about bicep pain?

Many cases of biceps tendonitis will go away within a few weeks of simple measures, including rest, ice and NSAIDs. But if your pain makes it difficult to perform your usual daily activities and self-care hasn't improved your condition, you should see your healthcare provider for further treatment.

What happens if you don't fix a bicep tear?

Flexion of the elbow may be affected, but supination (the motion of twisting the forearm such as when you use a screwdriver) is usually affected more. Not repairing a ruptured biceps reduces supination strength by about 20 percent.

What is bicep tendonitis?

Bicep tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons that connect the biceps muscle, at the front of your arm, to the shoulder and the elbow. A repetitive motion injury, bicep tendonitis often results from overuse caused by a repeated overhead motion.

What is the fastest way to heal a torn bicep?

This includes:
  1. Medication. Pain often resolves by itself over time. ...
  2. Ice. Apply cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day to keep down swelling. ...
  3. Rest. Avoid heavy lifting and overhead activities. ...
  4. Physical therapy. Restores flexibility, movement and strength to your shoulder.

Can a small bicep tear heal on its own?

Natural History. Partial tears may heal and may need protection during healing. Complete tears of the biceps tendon do not heal naturally as the tendon is pulled up into the arm by the biceps muscle.

Can you lift weights with a torn bicep?

Though staying active during recovery is paramount, it's wise to avoid certain exercises that could exacerbate your biceps tendon damage. This includes any exercises that put strain on your biceps, such as lifting heavy weights.

How do I make sure I don't tear my bicep?

To prevent a biceps tendon rupture, individuals should:
  1. Maintain proper strength in the shoulder, elbow, and forearm.
  2. Avoid repetitive overhead lifting and general overuse of the shoulder, such as performing forceful pushing or pulling activities, or lifting objects that are simply too heavy.

How to check for a bicep tear?

Symptoms of a biceps tear or biceps rupture
  1. Severe pain that may go away after a few days.
  2. Bruising and sometimes swelling in that part of the arm.
  3. Shoulder and arm weakness.
  4. A bulge in one part of the upper arm – with a gap in the other part – because the muscle has bunched up in one section of the biceps.

What happens if you ignore bicep tendonitis?

A nagging pain and weakness may feel like something you can ignore and “push through,” but know that biceps tendonitis, if it progresses to frays and a more significant breakdown of tissue, can lead to a partial or full rupture of the biceps tendon.

Does a torn bicep tendon hurt all the time?

Even if you don't experience sharp pain, a biceps tear often causes ongoing pain and tenderness in your shoulder or arm.

What do doctors do for a torn bicep?

To return arm strength to near normal levels, your surgeon may offer surgery to repair the torn tendon. However, nonsurgical treatment is a reasonable option for patients who may not require full arm function, or who cannot make time for the rehabilitation required after surgery.

What happens if you don't fix a torn tendon?

If left untreated, eventually it can result in other foot and leg problems, such as inflammation and pain in the ligaments in the soles of your foot (plantar faciitis), tendinitis in other parts of your foot, shin splints, pain in your ankles, knees and hips and, in severe cases, arthritis in your foot.

How long does it take for a torn bicep tendon to heal without surgery?

Rehab usually lasts for 2 months. It takes about 3 to 4 months for your biceps muscle to heal. You may be able to do easier daily activities in 2 to 3 weeks, as long as you don't use your injured arm. Most people who work at a desk job can return to work in 1 to 2 weeks.

Should you massage a torn bicep?

If you have a biceps muscle tear then you should avoid any activities which increase blood flow to the injured muscle for the first 48 hours. These include hot showers, elbow stretches, heat rubs, sports massage, consumption of alcohol and excessive activity.

What happens to an untreated torn bicep?

Leaving it untreated is an option. Other muscles can compensate over time, but the arm may appear permanently smaller, and there is typically a lasting decrease in supination strength, affecting movements like using a screwdriver.

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