Distal bicep tears are injuries that occur when the tendon attaching the bicep muscle to the elbow is torn from the bone. These injuries can be quite debilitating and typically require distal bicep repair surgery. Understanding the risk factors is essential for prevention and early intervention.

One of the most significant risk factors for distal bicep tear is age. Individuals between the ages of 30 and 60 are more susceptible to this type of injury. Additionally, males are far more likely to experience a distal bicep tear compared to females.

Individuals who engage in heavy lifting or strength-based sports are at a higher risk of experiencing a distal bicep tear. Weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding are common activities where these types of injuries may occur.

Certain medical conditions can also contribute to the risk. Individuals with conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are at a greater risk. Diabetes is another condition that can weaken tendons and make them more prone to tears. Specifically, known risk factors also include use of steroids and history of smoking.

Jobs that require repetitive lifting or forceful twisting motions of the arm also pose a higher risk. Construction workers, warehouse staff, and people in similar professions are more likely to experience this injury due to the nature of their work.

Distal biceps tendinitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the tendon that attaches the biceps muscle to the elbow. The management of this condition is often nonoperative, especially in the early stages. This review aims to provide an evidence-based discussion of nonoperative strategies based on prospective randomized controlled studies.

Patients with distal biceps tendinitis typically present with localized anterior elbow pain, exacerbated by elbow flexion or supination.

The diagnosis is often clinical, confirmed by imaging studies like ultrasound or MRI to rule out severe pathology, such as tears that may necessitate surgical intervention.

Initial treatment usually involves rest and activity modification to offload the stressed tendon.

Physical therapy involving stretching and strengthening exercises targeting the biceps and surrounding musculature has been proven effective.

Distal biceps tendon repair is a surgical procedure aimed at restoring the integrity of the ruptured biceps tendon at the elbow. Two common approaches are the one-incision and the two-incision techniques. This review provides an evidence-based comparison of these techniques, focusing on data from prospective randomized controlled studies.

This approach involves making a single incision over the antecubital fossa to both visualize and repair the tendon.

This approach involves one anterior incision over the antecubital fossa for tendon visualization and a posterior incision near the radial tuberosity for fixation.

Studies show that both bicep repair techniques effectively restore range of motion, although some evidence suggests that the one-incision technique might offer slightly better elbow flexion.

Both bicep repair techniques have been shown to be effective in restoring strength. However, the one-incision technique may result in marginally better supination strength.