Explore 3 exercises PT experts can use to cut biceps tendinitis pain

Biceps tendinitis is a disorder that affects the upper arm between the shoulder and elbow. The main symptom of biceps tendinitis is pain when moving the arm or shoulder. It occurs when the biceps tendon becomes inflamed or irritated.

You can develop biceps tendinitis from activities that require repetitive arm movements or from lifting heavy weights. Biceps tendinitis can limit your arm’s range of motion and cause pain, especially when you’re moving your arm above your head. Thankfully, physical therapists can help you reduce biceps tendinitis pain and increase mobility with exercises and other PT methods.

Help biceps tendinitis pain with these 3 recommended exercises

Certain exercises can help with reducing the pain of biceps tendinitis. You can do them on your own or as part of a physical therapy program. The following three exercises are ones that a physical therapist may have biceps tendinitis patients do:

1. Vertical shoulder flexion — Do this exercise slowly with a weight of 3 to 5 pounds. Stand against a wall and raise your arms upward, keeping them close to the wall. Slowly extend your arms overhead; then return them to their original position. Repeat 15 times.
2. Forearm twists — Twisting your forearms keeps your arm flexible and makes the biceps tendon glide smoothly. Start by letting your injured arm hang by your side; then bend your elbow to 90 degrees. Hold the position for five seconds; then turn your palm upward. Hold the position for five seconds; then rotate your palm to face downward. Do this three times a day and 10 times per set.
3. Internal rotation stretch — Your arm rotates internally in the shoulder socket when you turn your hands from front to back, and this movement also relies heavily on your biceps. Practicing the internal rotation stretch can help maintain your ability to perform internal rotation. Put a yardstick or broom behind your back and hold it with your knuckles facing down. You’re going to feel it in your arm when you raise the stick up your back slowly with both hands. You’ll want to continue this movement for 30 seconds and then let your arms fall back down toward your butt. Make sure you do this twice a day and do four reps each time.

A physical therapist can help make sure you’re doing these and other biceps tendinitis exercises optimally. They can also offer other techniques to help reduce your pain.

Can physical therapy help my biceps tendinitis?

If you want to reduce the pain caused by biceps tendinitis, Armor Physical Therapy is ready and willing to help. Our team of licensed physical therapy specialists can work with you to create a physical therapy plan that is specifically tailored to your recovery needs. The plan we create for you will be designed to help reduce your pain and increase your mobility.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.