Bicep Tear Risk Factors and Symptoms

A successful business leader, Christopher J. Henneforth has been the chief financial officer of Omnia Medical in Morgantown, West Virginia, since cofounding it in 2014. Despite suffering from a 50 percent bicep tear, Christopher J. Henneforth participates in power lifting.

A bicep tear is a physical rift in the bicep muscle that typically occurs at the elbow or shoulder. When caused by a traumatic injury, this condition can produce an audible popping sound. A bicep tear can also arise from wear over time.

Athletes who regularly engage in throwing have a higher risk for bicep tears, but they can reduce this risk by properly stretching and warming up. People with a history of upper arm injuries and poor blood circulation are also more likely to suffer a bicep tear.

Lasting symptoms of bicep tears include acute pain, shoulder weakness, upper arm bruising, muscle spasms, and the inability to rotate or otherwise move the affected arm. Patients also often exhibit misshapen arms that are characterized by bulging and gapping.