I can no longer move my shoulder properly and have pain due to a torn biceps muscle (rotator cuff) and a bursitis under the roof of the shoulder. My therapist says therapy will be fine, he doesn’t recommend surgery because I’m 62. Is that right? And will I ever be able to move my shoulder properly again? Do you know what causes a torn tendon, are there perhaps irregularities on the edges of the shoulder roof?
mr. B. Grömmel
Frank van Oosterhout, orthopedic surgeon
The biceps is a muscle with two abdominal muscles and two tendons that each connect a muscle abdomen to the trunk. One tendon runs free from the shoulder joint, but the other tendon runs through the shoulder joint. That tendon goes through a rather narrow passage. As a result, this tendon is sensitive to wear. This has led to a tendon rupture in you.
Surgical treatment usually consists of securing the piece of tendon on the side of the muscle abdomen outside the shoulder. The tendon (leftover) in the shoulder joint is then removed.
The natural course of the muscle and its function are more or less the same after this operation.
The attached tendon stump fuses into the surrounding tissues, the ‘muscle ball’ is slightly lower and after six months the function is excellent again.
An orthopedic surgeon can tell you whether such an operation is possible in your case.
With the above explanation I wanted to indicate that the biceps is not disabled by this tendon tear. The second muscle belly can just keep doing its job and will probably get stronger.
An operation is never a minor procedure; After consultation with an orthopedic surgeon, you can consider whether it makes sense for you.
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