Brachial biceps tendon injuries in young female high-level tennis players

Aim. To evaluate brachial biceps tendon lesions in four young female tennis players who complained about anterior shoulder pain on their dominant side. Methods. Medical and sport's activity history, palpation of the painful zone, Ghilchrist (palm-up) test, and brachial biceps contraction against resistance were performed. Results. The two girls who suffered from mild tenderness in the bicipital groove and over the anterior aspect of the upper arm and the shoulder joint, had tendinitis of the long biceps head. The two girls who suffered from severe tenderness, just under the groove, had a partial tear in the long head of the biceps. Ghilchrist test was positive in all girls. Conclusion. Tennis players can have shoulder pain without clear history of trauma. Pain occurred probably as a result of technical errors or use of inadequate equipment.