Tendons are tissues that attach your muscles to your bones. Your biceps muscles are attached by tendons at one end of your elbow and at the other end of your shoulder. The tendon going into the shoulder joint, which is called the proximal biceps tendon, is often damaged from overuse. The most common cause of proximal biceps tears is degeneration. After years of use, the tendons just wear down, fray and pop loose.
Prevention
You can prevent damage to the proximal biceps tendons by doing shoulder-strengthening exercises on a regular basis, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Strong muscles help stabilize your shoulder to take some of the pressure off the tendon. The most effective exercises for the biceps are rowing, pushups, wall pushups and shoulder shrugs. Your shoulders will function better and provide a stable foundation for the tendons.
Initial Treatment
Initially, you'll need to keep your arm in a sling to immobilize your shoulder. Once you've got feeling back into your arm following surgery to repair a proximal biceps injury, you can start doing exercises designed to maintain strength in the rest of your arm. According to Ohio State University, you should perform the exercises for 10 repetitions, two or three times during the day. Keep your wrist flexible by moving your hand up and down, bending it at the wrist. Turn it clockwise and counterclockwise. Make a fist, hold it and release.
Passive Movements
Use your good arm or get assistance from someone to move your affected arm out of the sling. Hold the elbow up at a 90-degree angle with your fingers pointing toward the ceiling. Rest your elbow on a table or have your partner hold it up. Use another hand to straighten out your arm, but do not pull on your shoulder. Straighten your arm and then slowly and gently push it back up. Place your arm back in the sling when you've finished 10 reps.
Weights
Add weights to your rehabilitation exercises once your doctor gives you permission. Squats and lunges with weights help you develop a strong core that adds to your shoulder stability, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Start with light weights and work with bigger weights as you regain your strength. Other exercises that help you get back functional use of your shoulder include chinups and pullups, lat pulldowns with cable resistance weights, and bench presses. Bicep curls strengthen the proximal biceps and should be part of a routine strengthening workout.
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