Popeye Muscle

The Biceps Brachii muscle has two attachments at the shoulder and one at the elbow. There are two heads of the muscle: the long and short. The long head assists with shoulder flexion and forearm supination, and the short head primarily flexes the elbow. “Popeye muscle” is a tear of the long head of biceps muscle at the shoulder. Part of the muscle rolls down due to the missing attachment point, giving it that “Popeye” attachmentIt occurs more commonly in men ages 40-60, either as a degenerative tear, or with repetitive use. This tear does really well with conservative management, including Physiotherapy. Surgery can be considered if the patient has a hard time accepting the muscle appearance.