Heavy biceps training can cause soreness in the biceps tendon closest to your shoulders, especially when increasing the weights too quickly. While your mind and your biceps muscle may be ready to curl a heavier weight than last week, your biceps tendon might not be up for the additional strain.
Shoulder Joint
The two heads of your biceps muscles originate from your shoulder blade, but it is the tendon of the long head that runs between your shoulder joint and the bony processes of your shoulder blade. Furthermore, a pillow-like sac, or bursa, lies above the tendon and a ligament holds the tendon in place against your arm bone. The bursa and ligaments may become irritated not only from heavy biceps curls but also from repetitive activities such as swinging a tennis racket or throwing a ball.
Treatment
Initial treatment for an irritated biceps tendon or tendinitis includes placing a cold pack over the tendon to reduce swelling and inflammation. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen may be taken to reduce pain and inflammation. You should avoid performing biceps curls and any other exercises or activities which induce pain in your biceps tendon. If soreness persists, a physical therapist might use electrical stimulation and ultrasound to further promote healing.
Prevention
When performing biceps curls, keep the weights light enough so you are not swinging from your lower back or your shoulders to lift the weight, aggravating your biceps tendon. Ensuring you can complete multiple sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of biceps curls prior to going up in weight reduces your risk of tendon irritation.
Considerations
While you may feel tendon soreness during biceps curls, the injury to the tendon itself may have been caused by other exercises. Bench presses, pushups, triceps dips, shoulder presses and even holding a heavy barbell in place during squats place a tremendous amount of pressure across the front of your shoulders including on your biceps tendon. If you regularly play racquet sports, lift objects over your head, throw a ball or if you are involved in high-volume weight training, consider taking one week off of exercises that directly involve your shoulder joints. When you return to your weight-training program, start with light weights and note if there is a particular exercise or a particular weight of a dumbbell that generates pain. Refrain from performing these exercises for one to two months.
References
- "Examination of Musculoskeletal Injuries"; Sandra Shultz, Ph.D., Peggy Houglum, Ph.D., David Perrin, Ph.D.; 2005
- "Therapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries"; Peggy Houglum, Ph.D.; 2005
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