Overuse injuries of the shoulder can develop very quickly when you work your shoulder joint in ways that you’re not accustomed to. People often develop biceps tendinitis during activities where they raise their arms above their heads, especially if they’re making forceful movements or bearing weight. Some people develop this condition from sports like swimming, baseball, or volleyball. It can also happen while you’re working on projects around the house like painting or installing ceiling fixtures. Biceps tendonitis physical therapy exercises can help alleviate some of your pain.

Shoulder pain is common in young adults who are fairly active. Biceps tendinitis is most common among people between 18 and 35 years of age. However, many people develop this condition between 35 and 50.

The main symptom you’ll notice with biceps tendinitis is pain in the front of the shoulder, especially when raising or lowering the arm. Your shoulder may also feel tender to the touch, and you may notice swelling, redness, or weakness. Mild cases of biceps tendinitis may resolve on their own. More serious cases may be accompanied by a tear in the rotator cuff or the cartilage that lines the shoulder socket. This type of injury is called a SLAP lesion (superior labrum anterior to posterior). If your ability to use your shoulder is severely limited, if your pain is intense, or if your pain doesn’t go away, you should see a physical therapist for treatment.

In this blog post, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions for nine physical therapy exercises that can help you recover from biceps tendinitis.

9 physical therapy exercises to help with biceps tendinitis

Before you start doing any exercises for biceps tendinitis, you should rest your shoulder for at least a week or two. Get plenty of rest, eat nutritious foods, and stay hydrated so your body has everything it needs to recover. If these exercises are painful, you may need more rest or treatment from a physical therapist. A PT can provide more passive treatments to help reduce pain and tenderness and increase blood flow to promote healing. When you can move your shoulder without so much pain, then you’ll be ready to start rebuilding your flexibility, range of motion, and strength.

Again, if any of these exercises aggravate your pain, skip them. These exercises are meant to help promote healing and increase your strength and range of motion. If it hurts, that’s a sign you should stop and rest or try something else.

Try the following nine physical therapy exercises to help with biceps tendinitis:

1. Pendulum stretch — Bend at the waist slightly so you’re leaning forward with your affected arm dangling straight down. You can hold the other hand at your waist or use it to steady yourself against a piece of furniture. Gently use your affected shoulder to move your arm without bending your elbow. Move it in a circular motion, starting small and making bigger rotations. Then move it in the opposite direction.
2. Biceps stretch — Stand next to a wall, with your affected shoulder closest to the wall. Hold your hand, fingers pointed down, against the wall and use it to pull your arm back slightly as you twist your upper body away from the wall. Stop as soon as you feel the stretch and hold the position for about 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat three or four times.
3. Forearm supination and pronation — Hold your affected arm out in front of you with your forearm parallel to the floor, creating a 90-degree angle. Hold your palm in the prone position, facing down. Gently turn your palm upward, into a supine position, while holding your arm steady. Hold for about five seconds before turning your palm back down, and then rest for five seconds. Repeat four to five times.
4. Elbow flexion — This exercise is like a biceps curl but with much less weight. You can use an exercise band or hold a can of soup for lighter resistance. Start with your arm extended straight down in front of you or parallel to the floor. Your palm should be facing up. Slowly curl your arm until your elbow is bent at 90 degrees and then relax back to the starting position. Repeat four to five times.
5. Shoulder internal rotation — Hold an exercise band or a towel behind your head with your unaffected arm. Reach the other arm behind your lower back and grasp the bottom end of the band. Gently pull upward with your good hand so the affected arm turns outward. Hold for a few seconds and repeat several times.
6. Shoulder external rotation — Hold a towel or exercise band with both hands. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor, facing each other at waist level. Hold on to both ends as you pull them outward, rotating your shoulders. Only go as far as you can without causing pain. Do four to five slow repetitions.
7. Shoulder flexion — Start the shoulder flexion exercise with your affected arm extended down at your side. Your palm should be facing backward. Keep your arm straight as you slowly raise your hand all the way up and then bring it back down. Repeat several times.
8. Sleeper stretch — Lie down on your injured side with your arm bent upward at a 90-degree angle like you’re going to sleep. Use your other hand to gently guide your arm so it’s pointing down toward your feet. Slowly move your arm back to the starting position. Repeat three or four times.
9. Shoulder circle crossovers — Stand with your arms extended behind you. Your palms should be facing up, and your shoulders will be rotated inward. Raise your hands up as high as you can in that position and then slowly swing your hands to the front. Cross your arms when they meet in front of you and keep moving them until your arms are in a high V shape. Extend your arms outward as far as you can in this position. Then reverse the movement to cross your arms and return to the starting position. Repeat two to three times and then rest before doing another set of two to three.

Get a personalized physical therapy program to help you recover from biceps tendinitis

Biceps tendinitis can make everyday activities painful, such as reaching backward to put on your seat belt or trying to reach something on a high shelf. It can take up to several weeks or a couple of months to recover. Each person and each shoulder injury is unique. The same treatment program that works for someone else may not be the best fit for you.

Seeing a physical therapist can help you ensure that you’re doing everything you can to make a full and fast recovery. Your physical therapist will create a personalized treatment plan. It may include exercises and stretches like these as well as other treatments to promote circulation and healing. They may use their hands or stainless steel instruments to mobilize soft tissue in your shoulders. A PT can also provide some guidance on lifestyle changes you can make to prevent re-injury.

How do you know you’ll be receiving the highest-quality treatment? Try to find a physical therapist with a Certification in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (COMT). To obtain this certification, physical therapists need specialized training in assessing musculoskeletal conditions and creating personalized treatment plans for individual patients. At Lattimore PT, we have physical therapists with their COMT at almost all of our locations.

Are you experiencing biceps tendinitis? We can help. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.