Continuing to exercise an injured bicep muscle will not only cause more damage, but also prevent your biceps from healing properly, reducing the likelihood that you will regain normal arm function. Instead, do stretching and strengthening rehabilitation exercises under the guidance of a physical therapist. Do not begin such exercises until after the first week of injury, once pain and swelling have been reduced. Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin, to further ease pain and swelling, and hasten your recovery.
Stretching Exercises
Step 1
Place a hot pack on the injured area of your biceps for 10 minutes to increase blood and nutrient circulation; this raises the temperature of your biceps, making it more stretchable during your stretching exercises.
Step 2
Lie flat on your back on the floor with a pillow under your head and a rolled-up towel under the upper arm of the injured bicep; your injured arm should be right next to your body. Hold this passive stretch for five minutes on your first day of stretching. Place a 2 lb. wrist weight around your wrist the next day, when you do this stretch for 10 minutes. Hold the stretch for 15 minutes on the third day.
Step 3
Lie flat on your back on the floor with a pillow under your head. Raise your injured arm out to a diagonal above your head with your palm up; hold the stretch for five minutes on your first day. Place a rolled-up towel under the upper arm when you do this stretch for 10 minutes the next day. Hold the stretch for 15 minutes on the third day.
Step 4
Perform each stretch twice per day on alternate days to increase the flexibility of your biceps. Do this stretching program for two weeks to help you regain normal range of motion at your elbow joint.
Strengthening Exercises
Step 1
Place a hot pack on the injured area of your biceps for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Perform an isometric biceps curl by bending your injured elbow to 90 degrees. Place your uninjured hand over the wrist end of your forearm. Apply light pressure, resisting with your injured biceps muscle, to enhance its strength. Hold the contraction for six seconds and repeat 10 times. Do this exercise once per day, every other day, for the first week.
Step 3
Stand up and hold a 3-pound dumbbell in your hand with your arm along the side of your body. Keep your palms faced up as you perform 15 repetitions of biceps curls. Do three sets of this exercise. Complete this exercise once per day, every other day, for the first week.
Step 4
Gradually increase your manual resistance against your isometric curls. Increase the weight of your dumbbells for biceps curls as you progress through the first week of your strengthening exercises, using up to an 8-pound dumbbell.
Step 5
Progressively increase the intensity of your biceps strengthening program by changing one variable at a time every week, including adding one biceps exercise, doing one more set of each exercise or increasing the weight of the dumbbell you use.
Tips and Warnings
- Place a cold pack over the affected area of your biceps after every stretching and strengthening session, to reduce any swelling that results.
- Follow the guidance of your therapist or doctor as you do your exercises to reduce the likelihood of exacerbating your injury.
Things You'll Need
- Hot pack
- Pillow
- Towel
- Ice pack
- Wrist weight
- Light dumbbells
References
- "Examination of Musculoskeletal Injuries"; Sandra Shultz, Ph.D., Peggy Houglum, Ph.D., and David Perrin, Ph.D.; 2005
- "Therapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries"; Peggy Houglum, Ph.D.; 2005
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