Why biceps are important

The two heads join in the middle arm to form a combined muscle belly. Although the heads work in tandem to move the forearm, they are anatomically distinct, with no conjoined fibers. As the heads extend downward toward the elbow, they rotate 90 degrees and attach to a rough projection just beneath the neck of the radius called the radial tuberosity. Of the other three muscles that make up the upper arm, the biceps is the only one to cross two joints: the elbow joint and the glenohumeral shoulder joint.

Despite what some think, the biceps is not the most powerful flexor of the forearm. Although the biceps is the most prominent muscle of the upper arm, it serves to support and stabilize the deeper and stronger brachialis muscle whenever lifting or lowering the forearm.

The main functions of the biceps are the flexion and supination outward rotation of the forearm. This is facilitated, in part, by the degree rotation of the muscle as it connects to the radius. As the biceps muscle contracts, it can do one of two things or both together :. Although the supination of the forearm involves the biceps, pronation in which the palm is turned downward is facilitated by the brachialis and corresponding pronator muscles.

The biceps also weakly assists with arm movements at the glenohumeral joint, including forward flexion lifting the entire arm forward , abduction opening the arm to the side , and adduction folding the arm across the body. The small head of the biceps is important in stabilizing the scapula, allowing us to carry heavy weights when the arm is in an extended downward position.

The movements of the biceps are facilitated by the musculocutaneous nerve, which runs from the cervical neck spine and ends just above the elbow.

The brachialis and coracobrachialis muscles are also serviced by the nerve. In addition to directing the contraction of muscles, the musculocutaneous nerve also referred to as the fifth, sixth, and seventh cervical nerves provides sensations to the outer side of the forearm from the elbow to the wrist. A separate nerve, known as the radial nerve , services the brachioradialis muscle.

Because the biceps are involved in such vital tasks as lifting and gesturing, the tendons and tissues that make up the muscle are vulnerable to harm.

Most occur as a result of physical trauma or repetitive activity. Among some of the more common conditions affecting the biceps:. Most injuries involving the biceps will heal on their own without the need for surgery. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil or Motrin ibuprofen or Aleve or Naprosyn naproxen can help reduce pain and swelling. Intra-articular cortisone injections may also be used to temper pain and inflammation associated with chronic tendinitis.

Corrective surgeries are typically reserved for elite athletes or people with severe ruptures or intractable pain in whom conservative treatments have failed. Biceps tenodesis is used to treat chronic or severe shoulder pain caused by a biceps tendon injury. Recovery from tenodesis varies but typically requires an arm sling for the first few weeks followed by four to six weeks of physical therapy.

Recovery may take longer if more than one procedure is performed. One example is a SLAP repair surgery used to fix the tendon encircling the glenoid where proximal bicep tendon is attached. All of this posterior chain work, however, meant that the functional fitness folk, especially in the earlier CrossFit days, pretty much neglected the bench press entirely.

Meanwhile, bicep curls were the laughing stock of the community. Biceps matter, and not just for aesthetics. They matter for real, functional movements. Like pull-ups and muscle-ups. When I worked with gymnastics coach Louise Eberts louiseebertsgymnastics to improve my muscle-ups a couple of years ago, she added bicep curls to my program and they made all the difference.

The bicep curl is a particularly important exercise if you want to tone your arms. Your biceps are major, highly visible muscles, so the training that you do for your biceps will have a significant impact on the appearance of your arms. As the website Real Women's Fitness notes, working your biceps can help contribute to a tighter, more defined and more toned look for your arms.

Although the biceps are the primary target of bicep curls, the exercise also works a number of other muscles. Among the many muscles worked by the bicep curl are the brachialis and the brachioradialis.

The former muscle is located under your bicep, while the later is located in your forearm. You can also do them as part of a circuit , performing one bicep exercise after the next with no rest. You will generally need to go lighter for this, but will definitely feel the burn. By alternating these routines weekly, you'll be able to build a fuller bicep faster than with just one or two exercises.

Take your time, and you'll likely see real results after eight to 12 weeks. Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Age-associated declines in muscle mass, strength, power, and physical performance: impact on fear of falling and quality of life. Osteoporos Int. Frontiers in Physiology. Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl.

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