How to Treat Torn Biceps Muscle

A torn biceps muscle can be a very painful condition. It can be the result of a household accident like a fall or it can come about as a result of overuse in athletics. Weightlifters and other athletes frequently suffer partial or complete tears of the biceps. The injury can require surgery, but that is not always the case.

Instructions

• 1

  Rest your arm completely. If you have suffered a torn biceps through weightlifting or another strength exercise, the time has come to put the barbell down and stop the activity. You need to rest your arm for a minimum of 48 hours. Try not do anything with that arm, and try to isolate it with pillows or bolsters when you sleep.

• 2

  Treat the injury with ice. You should put an icepack on your injury for 15 minutes of every waking hour over the first 24 hours. You should put an ice pack on the arm for 15 minutes of every second waking hour over the ensuing 24-hour period.

• 3

  Take a non-steroidal painkiller like ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin to help you deal with pain. This is not a sign of weakness. This will actually help you get better. These medications will help reduce the swelling in the area where the injury occurred.

• 4

  Go for physical therapy once the pain has been reduced or it is no longer a factor. Your biceps muscle is still damaged, and it will need therapy before you can start working out again. A physical therapist will give you the stretches you can do in order to help regain strength.

• 5

  See your doctor if the pain does not subside, and you feel like your biceps is not improving. He may need to perform a surgical procedure that re-anchors the tendon to which the biceps muscle is attached back to the shoulder bone. In many cases, this surgery can be done on an outpatient basis, and you will be able to get back to physical therapy shortly thereafter.