What puts me at risk as an athlete for a distal biceps tendon rupture?
A distal biceps tendon rupture usually occurs when the flexed elbow is traumatically forced straight. This can certainly occur in contact sports such as football, hockey, lacrosse, and rugby. However, it can also occur in recreational athletes or weightlifters or attempt to lift more weight than can be handled, resulting in traumatic tearing of the tendon as the arm is gradually extended. While this unfortunate event can affect virtually every athlete, some factors that have been associated with a greater risk for distal biceps tendon rupture include: • Male • ≥ 30 years of age • “Weekend Warrior” athlete – generally, a lack of regular stretching and conditioning predisposes tendons and their insertions on bone to traumatic injury with athletic activity. • Smoking • Corticosteroids – both systemic and local injections can weaken tendons. • Certain antibiotics – the quinolone family of antibiotics (“-floxacins”) have been shown to adversely affect tendon biology and may increase risk of
