Tendinopathy of the Tendon of the Long Head of the Biceps

Pathologies of tendon of the long head of the biceps (LHB) are an important cause of shoulder pain. They include tendinopathy, rupture, superior labrum anterior and posterior lesions, pulley tears, and tendon instability. Conservative management of symptomatic LHB tendinopathy is commonly accepted as the first-line treatment. It consists of rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy. Biceps tenotomy and tenodesis are the most common surgical procedures to manage both isolated LHB pathology and biceps-glenoid complex tears combined with rotator cuff tears. However, controversy persists about the superiority of one of them because there is no evidence of significant differences in functional scores or patient satisfaction between the 2 techniques. This article provides an overview on biomechanical function of the LHB and current strategies for treatment of LHB disorders.