
Hand surgeon Benjamin R. Graves MD discusses the biceps brachii and the impact it has on the shoulders and elbows of athletes.
As an upper extremity surgeon, I see patients of all ages, sports, and skill levels for shoulder and elbow injuries on a daily basis. These problems can be acute or chronic and vary from mild to severe. Mild cases can often be treated with non-surgical measures, whereas more severe injuries may require surgery.
One muscle in particular, the biceps brachii (pronounced bray-key-eye), is frequently injured during sports activity, and is one of the more common reasons a patient may come to see me for evaluation. What makes this muscle unique is that it spans two joints, the shoulder and the elbow. This means that an injury to the “biceps” can involve the elbow, the shoulder, or both.