Bicipital Tendinopathy

Shoulder pain (Bicipital Tendinopathy)- soft/cold laser Treatment Bicipital tendinopathy refers to inflammation, pain and tenderness over the long head of the biceps tendon. It can be often misdiagnosed and confused with rotator cuff tendinopathy as the location of the patients pain is above the biceps muscle, lying over the front of the shoulder joint. This is because the tendon actually originates and attaches to the supraglenoid tubercle which is located superiorly to the shoulder joint. The disorder is often caused by overuse injuries, mainly because of repetitive lifting motions and affects an ageing population. Two types of bicipital tendinopathy (pain in the front of the shoulder) include:

• • Primary Biceps tendinopathy (PBT): referring to inflammation of the biceps tendon within the bicipital groove on the humerus and occurs in 5% of patients with the condition
  • Secondary Biceps Tendinopathy (SBT): Referring to all other patients (95%) without PBT who have an associated rotator cuff tear or a tear of the superior labrum ( shoulder cartilage) front to back

Pathology of the biceps tendon usually occurs between the age of 18-35 years who are actively involved with sports including throwing and contact sports, martial arts and swimming. Clinical Presentation Patients with bicipital tendinopathy usually complain of:

• • • Discomfort over the shoulder joint
    • Deep, throbbing pain in the front of the shoulder that’s exacerbated (worsened) by lifting
    • Pain usually overlying the bicipital groove that lies directly inferior to the deltoid muscle
    • Pain usually worsens at night, especially when lying on affected side
    • Aggravated by overhead reaching, lifting or pulling activities.

Examination of shoulder pain Radiologic imaging can be of great importance as it helps distinguish the bicipital tendinopathy with other potential diagnoses including supraspinatus tears. Common procedures consist of: MRI, Ultrasound, Radiographs (x-rays) and arthrography. Ultrasound technology is the gold standard when viewing all tendinopathy’s as its extremely accurate and the most cost-effective option. Management of shoulder pain Physical therapy and conservative care of rest, ice, compression and elevation are the usual forms of managing bicipital tendinopathy as well as surgery intervention. Bicipital tendinopathy can also be managed and treated by cold laser therapy, also referred to as low-level laser therapy for sub-acute cases. Cold laser therapy or low-level laser therapy as many medical professions term it, is a recent intervention that has been implemented in many health professions in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. For value for money, cold laser therapy is ahead of many different modalities used in the treatment of conditions as it utilises a non-invasive technique while penetrating deep into those underlying tissues without any surgical intervention. If shoulder pain or Bicipital Tendinopathy has been causing you some troubles come and try Cold Laser / Low Level Laser Therapy here at Lakeside Laser, Located at 3/45 Central Walk, Joondalup and with many visitors from neighbouring Suburbs, such as: Jindalee, Alkimos, Wanneroo, Craigie, Duncraig, Edgewater, Beldon and Mindarie. If you would like further information please feel free to contact us ok 9300 0095 or visit our website www.lakesidelaser.com.au Cold laser therapy is perfect in the management of bicipital tendinopathy as it aims at inducing an anti-inflammatory response to the affected area and enhances oxygen and blood supply to the working tendon to promote a faster healing and recovery rate. Sessions generally involve treatments lasting approximately 20 minutes, with 4-5 minutes on different locations on and around the biceps tendon. The recommended amount of visits for maximal repair of the biceps tendon in sub-acute cases include treatments 3-4 times a week lasting approximately 3-4 weeks. Here at Lakeside Laser we offer cold laser therapy (low-level laser therapy) for many disorders including bicipital tendinopathy. So if you’re suffering from any of the symptoms as mentions above or you doctor has diagnosed you with bicipital tendinopathy, laser therapy may be useful. Situated in Joondalup on 3/45 Central Walk, Joondalup. Lakeside Laser has many visitors from the northern suburbs of Perth including, Wembley Downs, Leederville, Alkimos, Scarborough, Sorrento, Woodvale, Yokine Edgewater and Burns Beach. To book an appointment you can call us on 93000095 to speak with our staff, otherwise you can visit our website www.lakesidelaser.com.au Our Staff look forward to hearing from you shortly and managing/treating your condition.