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The biceps is a muscle in the anterior compartment of the upper arm, with two heads: the short head and the long head. The short head rarely tears, but the long head is susceptible to tearing, especially with age and overuse. The biceps tendon attaches the biceps muscle to bones in the shoulder and elbow, and tears can cause pain and a loss of strength in the arm. Other muscles that work with the biceps include the brachialis and coracobrachialis muscles, which share a nerve supply with the biceps. The biceps brachii also works across three joints: the glenohumeral, elbow, and radio-ulnar joints.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Front of the arm |
| Muscle belly | Comprised of two muscle bellies: a long head and a short head |
| Joints | Crosses both the shoulder and elbow joints |
| Function | Allows one to flex or bend the elbow upwards towards the shoulder |
| Main function | Forearm supination and elbow flexion |
| Other functions | Assists in forward flexion of the shoulder joint; contributes to abduction; assists with horizontal adduction; assists with stabilization of the shoulder joint |
| Tendon tear causes | Injury and overuse |
| Tendon tear treatment | Surgery; applying cold pressure; anti-inflammatory medications; physical therapy |
| Tendon tear symptoms | Pain; arm weakness; muscle deformity |
| Tendon tear diagnosis | X-rays; ultrasound; MRI scans |
| Tendon issues | Biceps tendonitis; tendinosis; tendinopathy |
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What You'll Learn
Triceps and abdominals
The triceps are a muscle group located on the back of the upper arms, consisting of three muscles: the long head, the medial head, and the lateral head. Together, these muscles enable elbow extension and arm straightening, and they assist in chest-dominant exercises. Tricep-specific exercises include dumbbell floor presses, pushups, tricep kickbacks, and tricep dips.
The abdominal muscles, or abs, are a muscle group that runs across the abdomen and includes the rectus abdominis, the internal and external obliques, and the transversus abdominis. These muscles are responsible for torso stabilization and movement, and they assist in breathing and core-intensive exercises. Abdominal exercises include crunches, sit-ups, and leg raises.
When creating a strength training routine, pairing certain muscle groups together, such as the triceps and abdominals, can be beneficial. Working opposite and unrelated muscles together allows for the training of one muscle group while the other rests, preventing pre-exhaustion. For example, pairing dumbbell curls with tricep barbell presses and double crunches can maximize bicep training. Additionally, pairing muscle groups can improve overall strength and balance.
It is important to incorporate a variety of exercises into your workout routine to build well-rounded strength. This includes exercises that target different parts of the triceps and abdominals, as well as rest periods to promote muscle recovery.
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Back and shoulders
Training your back and shoulders is essential for improving your overall physique and strength. It also helps to ensure that your body is functioning optimally, as a weak back can lead to tightness in the chest and shoulders, resulting in a hunched posture.
Back and Shoulder Muscles
The back and shoulder muscles work in conjunction with the biceps to provide stability, strength, and mobility to the upper body. Here are the key muscles in these areas:
Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
The latissimus dorsi, commonly known as "lats," are large, fan-shaped muscles that span the middle and lower back. They originate from the lumbar and thoracic spine and attach to the upper arm bone (humerus). Well-developed lats contribute to the classic V-shaped back. They are crucial for spine stabilization and shoulder movement, including shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation.
Trapezius
The trapezius muscle, often called the "traps," is a large, diamond-shaped muscle group that covers the upper back, extends to the back of the neck, and runs down to the middle of the back. It is divided into three regions: upper, middle, and lower traps. The upper trapezius facilitates shoulder elevation (shrug) and neck extension, while also aiding in arm elevation. The middle and lower trapezius are targeted in exercises like seated rows.
Posterior Deltoids (Rear Delts)
The posterior deltoids are located on the backside of the shoulders and play a crucial role in improving overall shoulder function, stability, and allowing the arm to lift out and externally rotate.
Exercises for Back and Shoulders
When training your back and shoulders, it's important to incorporate exercises that target these muscle groups. Here are some effective exercises:
Horizontal Rows
Horizontal rows are a great starting exercise as they activate the shoulder blades through scapular retraction, which is essential for shoulder health in upper body exercises. They also strengthen the mid-back, which is crucial for aesthetic balance and shoulder health.
Seated Rows
Seated rows effectively target the upper and middle back muscles, particularly the lats and middle trapezius. They also involve the biceps, although to a lesser extent than pulldowns.
Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns
Pull-ups or lat pulldowns focus on the upper back muscles, specifically the lats. Using a medium-width overhand grip during lat pulldowns offers advantages over close-grip or wide-grip variations.
Back Extensions
Back extensions strengthen the erector spinae muscles that run along the spine. Developing these muscles contributes to a strong and defined lower back.
Shoulder Flexion and Extension (Preacher Curls and Incline Curls)
Shoulder flexion and extension exercises, such as preacher curls and incline curls, respectively, help isolate the biceps and establish a stronger mind-muscle connection. Incline curls, performed on an incline bench, allow for a greater stretch of the biceps, emphasizing the long head of the muscle.
Various Curls
Different types of curls, including supinated-grip curls (standard curls), pronated-grip curls (reverse curls), and barbell curls, target the biceps and their surrounding muscles. By manipulating hand and shoulder positions, you can target the biceps differently.
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Forearms
The forearm is the section of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist, with its bony structure formed by the radius and ulna. The forearm muscles are divided into two compartments: the anterior flexor compartment and the posterior extensor compartment. These compartments contain twenty muscles that act on the elbow and wrist joints, as well as the carpometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal, and interphalangeal joints of the hand.
The forearm muscles are essential for fine motor actions, enabling complex movements of the arm, wrist, and fingers. They also allow for larger movements, such as swinging a baseball bat or straightening the elbow. The forearm muscles can be categorised into intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. The intrinsic muscles move the forearm by pronating and supinating the radius and ulna, while the extrinsic muscles flex and extend the digits of the hand.
The superficial muscles of the anterior forearm include the flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris longus, flexor carpi radialis, and pronator teres. These muscles originate from a common tendon that arises from the medial epicondyle of the humerus. The flexor digitorum superficialis is the only muscle in the intermediate compartment. The deep anterior forearm muscles include the flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus, and pronator quadratus.
The biceps muscle, located in the middle of the upper arm, is responsible for flexing or bending the elbow upwards towards the shoulder. It is a superficial muscle that provides strength for lifting objects with the palm facing upwards. The biceps tendon has two attachments in the shoulder and one attachment at the top of the forearm. The biceps tendon can be prone to injuries, tears, and degeneration, which can result in loss of strength and pain during certain movements.
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Brachialis and brachioradialis
The brachialis is an important flexor muscle of the forearm at the elbow. It is considered a pure flexor of the forearm at the elbow and provides elbow flexion at all physiologic positions. The brachialis is one of the largest elbow flexors and is located in the anteroinferior area of the arm, deeper than the biceps brachialis muscle. It contributes to the upper part of the anatomically important antecubital fossa of the elbow joint.
The brachioradialis is the most superficial muscle on the radial side of the forearm. It is often fused proximally with the brachialis. It has a thin belly that descends in the mid-forearm, where its long flat tendon begins, and then continues to the radius. It is also known as supinator longus. The brachioradialis flexes the forearm at the elbow and works in synergy with the biceps brachii and brachialis to do so. The brachioradialis is a powerful forearm flexor when the forearm is semi-pronated, meaning that the palm is perpendicular to the ground.
The radial nerve passes between the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles in the lateral arm after spiralling and emerging from the spiral groove of the humerus. The brachioradialis tendon is used clinically to test the C6 spinal nerve root. In midshaft fracture of the humerus, the brachioradialis and extensor carpi radialis longus are the first two muscles to recover innervation following the injury of the radial nerve in the radial groove.
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Elbow flexion
The normal range of motion for the elbow is from full extension to full flexion, or about 0 to 140 degrees. For most activities, a range of motion of 30 to 130 degrees is sufficient. Elbow flexion can be assessed by measuring the degree of flexion with a tool called a goniometer. This can be done through passive movement, where someone else moves the forearm towards the upper arm, or active movement, where the individual moves their own forearm.
Injuries to the elbow flexion can result from repetitive motions, sports, or other physical activities. Common issues include tendonitis, bursitis, and nerve entrapment, which can often be treated conservatively. Severe overuse of the biceps tendons can lead to biceps tears, which can occur at either the shoulder or elbow. Tears can also be partial or complete, with complete tears resulting in the muscle being separated from the bone. Treatment for biceps tendonitis typically starts with non-invasive methods such as cold packs, rest, pain relievers, and ice. If these simple measures do not help, surgery may be recommended.
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Frequently asked questions
The biceps tendon is a cord of fibrous tissue that attaches the biceps muscle to the bones in the shoulder and elbow. The tendon at the elbow is called the distal bicep tendon.
Biceps tendon tears are most often caused by a sudden injury, such as lifting a heavy object, or by overuse. Tears can be partial or complete.
Symptoms include sudden and severe pain, tenderness, bruising, cramping, a snapping or popping sensation, and difficulty rotating the arm. There may also be a visible deformity in the injured area.
Treatment depends on the severity of the tear and the patient's needs. Non-surgical treatments include rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy. Surgery may be considered for more severe tears or if non-surgical treatments are ineffective.
