Clinical Reasoning-Led Physiotherapy Intervention for Biceps Tendinopathy: A Case Report

Long head of biceps tendinopathy (LHBT) is a common source of anterior shoulder pain, often misdiagnosed due to overlapping symptoms with other shoulder disorders. This case report presents a 56-year-old female with chronic shoulder pain managed through a clinical reasoning-guided physiotherapy program. Assessment using clinical reasoning, including the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework, confirmed LHBT. The intervention included pain management, manual therapy, range of motion exercises, strengthening exercises, and patient education over 6 weeks. Outcomes showed marked improvements: pain decreased from 7/10 to 1/10, muscle strength improved from 4/5 to 5/5, and functional disability scores (SPADI, DASH) reduced by over 80%. These findings demonstrate that structured, reasoning-based physiotherapy can facilitate accurate diagnosis and effective recovery in LHBT. This approach provides a model for evidence-informed, individualized clinical reasoning-based rehabilitation in similar musculoskeletal conditions.