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The biceps, or biceps brachii, is a large muscle on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. It is one of the chief muscles of the arm and is involved in several movements of the arm. The biceps is a two-joint muscle, with its heads originating in two places: the coracoid process, a protrusion of the scapula (shoulder blade), and the upper glenoid cavity, the hollow for the shoulder joint. The muscle's primary function is to flex the elbow and rotate the forearm. The biceps is also associated with several conditions, such as tendinopathy and tendon tears, which can occur due to physical trauma or repetitive activity.
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What You'll Learn
The biceps is a two-headed muscle
The biceps, or biceps brachii, is a large muscle on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. It is one of the chief muscles of the arm and is involved in several movements of the arm. The biceps is a two-headed muscle, with a short head and a long head. The short head is sometimes referred to as "caput breve", while the long head is also called "caput longum". The two heads of the biceps arise on the scapula (shoulder blade) and join together in the middle upper arm to form a single muscle belly, which is attached to the upper forearm. The biceps is a particularly powerful supinator of the forearm due to the distal attachment of the muscle at the radial tuberosity.
The long head of the biceps tendon originates at the supraglenoid tubercle and superior glenoid labrum, while the short head originates from the apex of the coracoid process of the scapula. The long head tendon exits the distal bicipital groove and joins the short head tendon, with both tendons transitioning into their respective muscle bellies in the central third of the upper arm. The biceps brachii continues distally as the bicipital aponeurosis, which inserts on the radial tuberosity and medial forearm fascia.
The biceps is involved in the flexion and supination (outward rotation) of the forearm. This is facilitated by the 90-degree rotation of the muscle as it connects to the radius. The biceps also plays a role in supporting the humeral head within the shoulder joint. In the elbow joint, the biceps bends the forearm towards the upper arm, aiding in lifting and pulling movements. The biceps is one of four muscles that make up the upper arm, along with the brachialis, brachioradialis, and coracobrachialis muscles.
The biceps is supplied by the musculocutaneous nerve, which arises from the C5 and C6 spinal roots. The brachial artery provides the primary arterial blood supply for the biceps, with the artery running medial to the tendon in the cubital fossa. The biceps is susceptible to various conditions, such as tendinopathy and strains, often resulting from physical trauma or repetitive activity.
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The biceps is a large, thick muscle
The biceps, or biceps brachii, is a large, thick muscle on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. The muscle is made up of two heads, a short head and a long head, which combine in the middle of the upper arm to form a single muscle mass or belly. The biceps is one of the chief muscles of the arm and is the most prominent muscle of the upper arm.
The biceps brachii is a fusiform muscle, meaning it is thick in the middle and tapers at the ends. The short head is sometimes referred to as "caput breve", while the long head is also called "caput longum". The long head is located on the lateral side of the biceps brachii, while the short head is located on the medial side. The long head of the biceps tendon is a well-known source of anterior shoulder pain. The tendon is on average 9 cm long and is extrasynovial inside the shoulder joint, passing obliquely towards the bicipital groove. The biceps long head tendon then exits the distal bicipital groove and joins the short head tendon.
The biceps brachii is a two-joint muscle, acting on both the shoulder joint and the elbow joint, and is able to generate movements in the glenohumeral, elbow, and radio-ulnar joints. The muscle's primary function is to flex the elbow and rotate the forearm, with the long head of the biceps also preventing the upward displacement of the head of the humerus. The biceps is a powerful supinator of the forearm, turning the palm upwards, and is most powerful when the elbow is flexed.
The biceps is supplied by the musculocutaneous nerve, which arises from the C5 and C6 spinal roots and is a branch of the brachial plexus. The blood supply to the biceps comes from the brachial artery, with the musculocutaneous nerve providing sensory and motor innervation.
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The biceps has a primary function of flexing the elbow
The biceps is a large muscle that lies on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. It is called 'biceps brachii' in Latin, which means 'two-headed muscle of the arm'. The muscle is composed of a short head and a long head. The long head is located on the lateral side of the biceps, while the short head is on the medial side.
The biceps' primary function is to flex and supinate the forearm, which is facilitated by the 90-degree rotation of the muscle as it connects to the radius. This movement is observed when opening a bottle with a corkscrew: the biceps screws in the cork (supination) and then pulls it out (flexion). The biceps is also one of the muscles involved in lifting objects, such as a bag of groceries, or performing a bicep curl.
The biceps work across three joints: the glenohumeral, elbow, and radio-ulnar joints. It is the most prominent muscle of the upper arm but is not the most powerful flexor of the forearm. The biceps' ability to flex the elbow is particularly important when the forearm is supinated. During elbow flexion, the forearm moves towards the upper arm, rotating around the elbow joint centre.
The biceps are vulnerable to injuries, with biceps tendinopathy being a common condition. These injuries are often caused by muscle overuse, trauma, or degeneration of the tendon due to age.
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The biceps supinates the forearm
The biceps is a large muscle that lies on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. It is traditionally described as a two-headed muscle, with the short head sometimes referred to as "caput breve" and the long head called "caput longum". The biceps brachii is one of the most variable muscles in the human body and has a third head arising from the humerus in 10% of cases. The biceps works across three joints, with its most important function being to supinate the forearm and flex the elbow.
Supination is the outward rotation of the forearm, or the turning of the palm upwards. The biceps brachii functions as a powerful supinator of the forearm, particularly when the limb is pronated. This action is aided by the supinator muscle and requires the humeroulnar joint of the elbow to be at least partially flexed. If the humeroulnar joint is fully extended, supination is then primarily carried out by the supinator muscle. The biceps is a particularly powerful supinator due to its distal attachment at the radial tuberosity, on the opposite side of the bone from the supinator muscle. When flexed, the biceps pulls the radius back into its neutral supinated position in concert with the supinator muscle.
The biceps' main function is at the elbow, where it flexes and supinates the forearm. Both these movements are used when opening a bottle with a corkscrew: first, the biceps screw in the cork (supination), then it pulls the cork out (flexion). The biceps is one of three muscles in the anterior compartment of the upper arm, along with the brachialis muscle and the coracobrachialis muscle. The biceps shares its nerve supply with the other two muscles of the anterior compartment, with fibres of the fifth, sixth and seventh cervical nerves making up the components of the musculocutaneous nerve which supply the biceps.
The biceps brachii acts primarily as an elbow flexor and secondarily as a supinator. It is able to supinate when the elbow is flexed. When the elbow is fully extended, the supinator muscle performs the action. The muscle also expands out as the bicipital aponeurosis, which attaches to the shaft of the ulna. The biceps tendon attaches to the radial tuberosity and is partially or completely surrounded by a bursa, the bicipitoradial bursa, which ensures frictionless motion during pronation and supination of the forearm.
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Biceps tendinopathy is a common condition
The biceps is a large muscle that lies on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. It is traditionally described as a two-headed muscle, with a short head and a long head, but in some cases, it has been observed to have three, four, five, or even seven heads. The biceps is one of the most variable muscles in the human body.
The early stages of biceps tendinopathy involve tenosynovitis and inflammation caused by repetitive traction, friction, and shoulder rotation. As the condition progresses, the tendon becomes irritated, causing it to thicken and increasing the risk of fraying or a complete tear. A complete tendon tear results in a cosmetic deformity of the arm, known as the "Popeye" sign or "Popeye deformity". This is characterised by a bulge in the upper arm due to the retraction of the muscle from the rupture point.
The diagnosis of biceps tendinopathy involves a detailed history and physical examination. The basic examination includes observation, palpation, muscle strength testing, and range of motion assessment. During the physical examination, the patient's arm is positioned at a slight or right angle, and the examiner applies pressure to the lower forearm in the direction of extension.
Treatment options for biceps tendinopathy include physical therapy, medication, and, in severe cases, surgery. Physical therapy focuses on unloading and then reloading the affected tendon, starting with isometric training and progressing to eccentric and concentric loading. Successful physical therapy regimens target the underlying factors contributing to the tendon pathology, such as glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and poor trunk control. In cases where surgery is required, arthroscopy is typically performed to assess the condition of the biceps tendon and other structures in the shoulder.
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Frequently asked questions
The biceps, or biceps brachii, is a large muscle on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. It is one of the chief muscles of the arm.
The biceps has several functions, including flexing the elbow and rotating the forearm. It also supports the humeral head within the shoulder joint.
Common conditions affecting the biceps include biceps tendinopathy, partial tendon tears, and complete tendon tears. Biceps strains can also occur when the muscle is overstretched or "pulled".
