Biceps tendinitis is a painful injury, caused by microscopic tears in the tendons that connect the biceps muscle to the bone. This can come about as a result of repetitive motion, such as those done by competitive athletes like tennis or baseball players. Symptoms of a torn biceps tendon include:

• Pain at the shoulder or elbow — This can be a sharp, sudden pain as well as a dull ache. The pain is often accompanied by tenderness and bruising at the shoulder or elbow.

• Weakness — The arm may feel weak, making simple activities such as overhead lifting or even just raising the arm over the head difficult.

• Difficulty rotating the arm — It may become difficult and possibly painful to rotate the arm from a “palm up” position to a “palm down” position. For example, pain may be experienced when attempting to turn a screwdriver or other hand tool.

Can physical therapy exercises help with biceps tendinitis?

Moderate to severe cases of biceps tendinitis often require surgery to remedy. Physical therapy is often prescribed to help the muscles recover and regain their strength and flexibility after surgery, with great results. Here are three physical therapy exercises to help with biceps tendinitis:

• Biceps stretch — Stretching the biceps muscles can help keep them from tightening and becoming more painful. To do this simple exercise, stand 6 inches away from the wall, facing the wall. With your palms down, raise your injured arm and touch the thumb side of your hand to the wall. 

Keeping your arm straight, turn your body away from your arm until you begin to feel a stretching sensation in the biceps. Hold for 15 seconds, and then rest. Repeat this exercise three times daily.

• Flexing and extending — This exercise will help keep your injured arm flexible. Slowly bring the palm of your hand to your shoulder, bending your elbow as much as you can. Then, slowly straighten both your arm and elbow back out again. Repeat this biceps tendinitis exercise 15 times before resting, and then finish with another set of 15 repetitions.

• Forearm twists — Forearm twists help the tendon glide smoothly along the biceps muscle, as well as increasing flexibility. Let your arm hang at your side. Then, slowly bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Turn your palm so that it faces up, holding this position for five seconds before resting. Repeat this motion 10 times, resting in between each twist. This exercise can be repeated three times per day.

Continuum Wellness can help you address the symptoms of biceps tendinitis

Physical therapy is paramount to helping athletes or others suffering from biceps tendinitis to fully recover. Our licensed Continuum Wellness physical therapists can help you determine the right course of physical therapy to help with your injury, including biceps tendinitis exercises and other forms of PT.

Our physical therapists are dedicated to sports medicine and focused rehabilitation based on your performance and recovery needs. They will do a complete evaluation and design a treatment plan targeted to your injury. 

Contact our team today for more information about our sports injury treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.