Biceps tendon endinitis

An inflammation of the long biceps tendon is also called biceps tendon endinitis. Such inflammation often occurs in people with postural deformities with shoulders hanging forward and causes severe shoulder pain. The long biceps tendon lies in a narrow bony canal in the shoulder joint and is susceptible to overloading and injury because it is often subject to friction in its narrow course.

The constant irritation can cause the tendon to swell and become inflamed. As it progresses, in some cases the biceps tendon is further damaged in the form of fraying and the tendon becomes unstable. Biceps tendon endinitis can also be caused by a muscular imbalance of the rotator cuff of the shoulder.

This refers to a malposition of the thoracic spine in which the support muscles at the rear of the rotator cuff are too weak. The dominant thoracic muscles pull the shoulders forward, resulting in “shoulders hanging forward” and the narrow channel through which the biceps tendon runs continues to contract. The diagnosis of a biceps tendon tendinitis is made with the so-called test according to Yergason, in which the arm rests against the body with the elbow bent at right angles and now an attempt is made to lift the forearm against the resistance of the doctor.

In the process, pain is provoked in the area of the front shoulder in the case of biceps tendon dinits. In order to treat muscular imbalance and to achieve relief in the area of the irritated and inflamed biceps tendon in biceps tendon endinitis, targeted muscle training under physiotherapeutic guidance to strengthen the posterior rotator cuff must be performed. In most cases, this can bypass surgical cutting of the biceps tendon.

Shoulder Arthrosis

Severe shoulder pain can also be caused by shoulder arthrosis (omarthrosis). In this case, the abrasion of cartilage in the head of humerus and/or the glenoid cavity causes wear and tear of the shoulder joint. Shoulder arthrosis is divided into a primary (no apparent cause, age-related wear and tear of the joint) and a secondary (after bone fractures or as a result of necrosis of the head of humerus).

A deformation of the humerus can be seen on the X-ray image. In addition, the reduction of the articular cartilage is visible as a narrowing of the visible joint space. Shoulder arthrosis often results in restricted mobility. It also causes movement-dependent pain in the shoulder joint and, in many cases, intermittent inflammatory activation of the joint. Shoulder arthrosis is treated with medication, physical therapy, cooling or surgical measures (e.g. arthroscopy, prosthesis, artificial shoulder joint).