Simultaneous rupture of the pectoralis major tendon and long head of the biceps tendon in a professional bodybuilder: A case report

Mardani-Kivi, Mohsen; Darabipour, Zohre; Alizadeh, Ahmad

doi:10.22038/rcm.2026.92716.1573

Simultaneous rupture of the pectoralis major tendon and long head of the biceps tendon in a professional bodybuilder: A case report

Document Type : Case report

Authors

Mohsen Mardani-Kivi ¹

Zohre Darabipour ¹

Ahmad Alizadeh ²

¹ Orthopaedic Research Center, Department of Orthopaedic, Poursina Hospital, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

² Department of Radiology, Poursina Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

10.22038/rcm.2026.92716.1573

Abstract

Most sports-related injuries in bodybuilders involve the upper extremities. Simultaneous rupture of the pectoralis major (PM) and long head of biceps tendon (LHBT) during bench press is extremely rare, and we report a case of such an injury. A 26-year-old male bodybuilder, with a history of previous PM tendon rupture and repair and long-term anabolic steroid use presented to our clinic with left arm and shoulder pain, bulging of the arm, and loss of axillary contour following a bench press injury that occurred two months prior. Physical examination and MRI confirmed simultaneous rupture of the PM tendon and the LHBT. Surgical management included PM reconstruction using an Achilles tendon allograft and the LHBT tenodesis performed in the same session. One possible mechanism of injury may have been altered biomechanics related to postoperative adhesions following previous PM repair. In addition, long-term anabolic steroid use may have contributed by weakening tendon integrity and increasing susceptibility to rupture.

Keywords

Pectoralis Major

Biceps Brachii

Athletes

Tendons

Tendon Injuries

Sports