Rupture of the Short Head of the Biceps Brachii Muscle Belly Caused by a Rock-Climbing Accident.

The case of a 42-y-old rock climber who sustained a complete, isolated rupture of the short head of the biceps brachii muscle after falling onto his upper arm while bouldering is presented. This is the first description of this rare injury after a climbing accident. Moreover, there is no definitive consensus on whether and when surgical intervention is necessary in such a case. We performed a direct end-to-end suture of the muscle belly through an open surgical approach. Postoperatively, we performed a detailed follow-up, including clinical examinations and sonography and magnetic resonance imaging to check the integrity of the suture. After 6 mo, our patient had regained a full range of motion without functional complaints or pain. Concerning the sports-specific outcome, we only found a slight decrease in rock-climbing abilities (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme Scale of Difficulty grade VII+ postsurgery compared to VIII preinjury). In conclusion, we suggest that early surgical reapproximation of the muscle belly might be the best treatment option for this severe but rare injury in athletes.