Biceps tendon strains or tears can occur at the distal attachment, at the elbow joint, or at the proximal attachments, near the shoulder joint. The rehabilitation process involves restoring range of motion to the affected joint or joints and strength to the biceps muscle. Perform stretching exercises daily and strengthening exercises several times per week to achieve these objectives.
Arm Circles
Arm circles help restore flexibility in your shoulder joint following an injury to the tendons that attach the long or short heads of the biceps muscle to the scapula, just above your shoulder socket. Extend your injured arm sideways, away from your body, at shoulder height. Make several small circles forward, then gradually increase the size of the circles for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction, circling your arm backward. Perform the exercise with your non-injured arm as well to promote muscular balance.
Biceps Stretch
This exercise stretches the tendons on both ends of the biceps muscle. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Place your palms on the floor behind your torso, slightly wider than your shoulders. Slide your hands farther away from your body and lean back until you feel a stretch through your biceps on both arms. Flex your elbows slightly and press your palms into the floor, developing tension in the biceps, then relax and lean back farther, deepening the stretch. Repeat this process multiple times.
Biceps Curls
Biceps curls are arguably the most popular biceps strengthening exercise. Perform the exercise with resistance tubing when you first add strengthening exercises to your rehabilitation program. Stand on top of the tube with your feet about hip-width apart, equidistant from the center. Hold the handles just outside your hips with your palms facing inward. Flex your elbows and supinate your forearms, turning your palms upward, to stretch the ends of the tube toward your shoulders. Reverse back to the starting position slowly, then repeat. Spread your feet out or use a thicker tube to increase the resistance. You can also alternate arms if desired.
Hammer Curls
Hammer curls are similar to the biceps curl exercise explained above, but you use dumbbells instead of resistance tubing and you do not supinate your forearms as you perform the curl. Sit in a chair or stand upright and let your arms hang at your sides with your palms facing your hips. Flex and extend one arm at a time in line with the shoulder on the same side, keeping your palms facing inward throughout the movement. Keep your elbows anchored to your ribs throughout the exercise. Feel free to curl both arms at the same time if you want.
