Expected Recovery Time of a Torn Bicep

A torn biceps can be a painful injury that severely limits your range of motion and ability to perform everyday activities. If you’ve injured your arm in the Dallas, Texas, area, it’s important to diagnose the issue as soon as possible. With prompt care from our team at The Hand and Wrist Institute, you can enjoy a full recovery in less than a year, while waiting can limit your treatment options.

What Is a Torn Bicep?

A torn biceps is a rupture or tear in the fibrous tissue of the biceps muscle or the tendon that connects to it. About 90% of bicep tears occur where the muscle attaches at the shoulder. These are referred to as proximal biceps tendon ruptures. The remainder happen at the elbow and are known as distal biceps tendon ruptures. Biceps tears are usually the result of heavy lifting or rapid straightening of the elbow, as you might do when attempting to catch something quickly.

You may feel a sudden pop and sharp stab of pain when the biceps tears. When the muscle detaches from the bone, it shortens, causing the biceps to change shape. A proximal tear creates a Popeye sign with a lump at the shoulder. Distal ruptures create a reverse Popeye deformity. You may also notice swelling and bruising around the injury.

A biceps tear is either partial or complete. A partial tear damages the tissue but does not sever the tendon. A complete tear breaks the tendon into two separate parts and separates the muscle from the bone.

Nonsurgical Treatment for a Torn Biceps

Nonsurgical treatment is an appropriate option for many partial biceps tendon tears as well as proximal ruptures.

Nonsurgical treatment for a torn biceps typically includes:

Recovery From Nonsurgical Treatment

A proximal biceps rupture can heal in three to six weeks when treated nonoperatively. You may have some persistent weakness in the arm, but pain and discomfort should subside in this time. Distal repairs treated nonsurgically may take three to six months to fully heal.  

Surgery for a Torn Biceps

A distal biceps rupture is typically treated with surgical repair. Athletes who cannot tolerate persistent weakness may elect to have surgery for a proximal biceps rupture as well. Without surgical repair for a distal rupture, patients may permanently lose 30% to 40% of their strength in the injured arm. For the best outcome, a surgeon should repair any torn biceps within two weeks of the injury. If you wait too long, the muscle and tendon in the biceps will begin to shorten and scar, which can make surgery impossible.

Surgery for a torn biceps takes about an hour. The surgeon will either make a single incision on the inside of the elbow or two small incisions on both the inside and outside of the elbow. Through these incisions, the surgeon can reattach the torn tendon to the bone using either small metal implants or stitches that run through holes drilled into the radius bone.

Recovery From Surgery for a Torn Biceps

The initial recovery time after surgery for a torn biceps is typically six to eight weeks. However, it can take up to six months for a partial tear to heal completely and up to nine months to fully heal from a complete bicep tendon repair. It’s crucial that you follow all instructions from your doctor and physical therapist completely. Failure to do so can result in a longer recovery time or limited strength and mobility in the long term.

Immediate Recovery

For the first three days after surgery, you should ice your incision site with a cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Repeat this every hour or two to help the swelling go down. Elevate your arm so it’s positioned above your heart any time you’re lying down. Gently wash the incision site with warm water and pat dry as needed. Do not bathe, and only shower if your doctor says it’s OK. Surgeons typically recommend waiting 24 to 48 hours after surgery for a shower.

The First Six Weeks

For the first six weeks after surgery, patients are typically instructed to keep the arm immobilized for most of the day. During this part of the recovery period, your doctor will recommend light physical therapy exercises to prevent the formation of scar tissue. You may need to wear a splint or elbow brace during the first four to six weeks after surgery. If you work a desk job, you can likely return to work a week or two after surgery.

Weeks Seven to Twelve

During the second six weeks of recovery, you may progress to light strengthening exercises, though it’s still important to avoid any kind of strenuous movement or heavy lifting at this time. 

Three Months After Surgery

After the first three months, you’ll usually progress to more strenuous muscle-strengthening exercises. If you have a physical job with manual labor, you may need to wait three or four months before returning to work. 

Though these general guidelines will apply to most patients, you should always prioritize the recommendations of your orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist. Each case is unique, and your personal health care team will have the best and most relevant instructions for you.

Diagnose Your Torn Biceps Promptly

The sooner you diagnose a torn biceps, the easier it is to treat. The prognosis worsens over time, and if you wait three weeks or more to address a torn biceps, you may have limited treatment options. Our experts at the Hand and Wrist Institute in Dallas, Texas, can provide a prompt diagnosis and treatment plan to help you retain as much strength and mobility as possible after your injury. Contact us for an appointment now.

a man in a gym holding a dumbbell by Ömer Haktan Bulut is licensed with Unsplash License 

Dr. John Knight

Dr. Knight is a renowned hand, wrist and upper extremity surgeon with over 25 years of experience. Dr. Knight is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Fellowship trained. Dr Knight has appeared on CNN, The Doctors TV, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Forbes, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Oxygen network and more.