A common way that a bicep can rupture is by lifting very heavy objects. This can cause the distal biceps tendon to rupture, creating a tearing sensation.
This type of injury announces itself immediately: You will experience severe pain, swelling, bruising, weakness in the elbow or shoulder, and difficulty rotating the wrist. You may also hear a popping noise at the time of injury. An unusual side effect of damage to the tendon is a bulge that may appear at the site of the injury, caused by a muscle that is no longer properly tethered by the distal biceps tendon.
A rupture is usually caused by a sudden event, but it could also be the result of a complex physiological interaction. For example, damage to the tendon is sometimes related to other conditions such as shoulder impingement, elbow tendonitis, or rotator cuff injury.