Biceps Tendonitis Quick Fix

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Biceps tendonitis

If you’re an overhead athlete or meat head, you’ve probably dealt with this. Pain in the front of your shoulder when your throw, bench or do anything over your head.

The fix is simple, not easy.

What Are The Best Exercises For Biceps Tendonitis?

Tendons love load. A tendon is loaded the same way the muscle is. You cannot isolate the tendon and not the muscle.

To treat biceps tendonitis, you load the tendon (source). Load the biceps tendon the same way you load the biceps. That being said you need to load the biceps tendon in 2 exercises to treat tendonitis:

1. Shoulder flexion isometrics

2. Biceps curls with the shoulder in extension

Shoulder Flexion Isometrics

Isometrics are my favorite go to exercise at the start of most rehab protocols. This holds especially true for the shoulder. Isometrics will load the tissue while keeping the risk of injury/pain essentially at 0.

• I prescribe these for time and reps

• 10 reps with 10 second holds/rep

• Repeat twice a day separated by 6 hours

• Isometrics should be difficult when done right

• Note the elbow should be in slight flexion to avoid stress on the elbow joint

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Biceps Curls With Shoulder Extension For Biceps Tendonitis

• These are done for a rep scheme with progressive overload in mind

• 3×10-12-15. When 15 reps are achieved, add weight and start back at 10 reps

• 3 progressions as listed below. Progress from one stage to the next pending on pain. As pain decreases, the more difficult progression should be possible

There you have it. Biceps tendonitis is a simple (not necessarily easy) fix.

Remember the 3 main keys:

1. Remove the activity that is aggravating the shoulder

2. Load the tendon

   1. Isometrics to start

   2. Progress to concentric loads

3. Reintroduce aggravating activity

I typically see people return to normal activity pain-free in 10-14 days. This is not an overnight fix.