The 8 BEST Exercises for Biceps Tendonitis Shoulder Pain Relief! | PT Time with Tim

Learn the 8 BEST Physical Therapy Exercises for Biceps Tendonitis Shoulder Pain Relief from Dr. Tim, a Licensed Physical Therapist.
👉 Looking for my FREE in-depth article to learn everything you need to know about the causes, symptoms, physical therapy treatments, and prevention techniques for Biceps Tendonitis Shoulder Pain? Check it out here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tend...
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👉Products Mentioned in this Video:
1. Theraband Flat Resistance Bands (Moderate Strength)
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2. Dumbbells (1-3 lbs)
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Hi, I’m Dr. Tim, PT, DPT, OCS! I am a licensed physical therapist and founder of www.PTTimewithTim.com. Join the PT Time with Tim community as you learn how to treat and prevent common injuries. Follow along on your journey to living a pain-free, active, and adventurous lifestyle as we “Restore to Explore”.
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#biceps
#bicepstendon
#bicepsworkout
#shoulderpain
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#shoulderpainrelief
#shoulderpainexercises
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Medical Disclaimer:
The following video is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be construed as medical advice nor a treatment plan. The information provided should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. This video was created by PT Time with Tim, LLC. Always seek the advice and assistance of a licensed medical doctor or physical therapist before taking part in any therapy, or if you need to receive a competent medical opinion. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this PT Time with Tim video. PT Time with Tim, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this content.
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00:00 Introduction
00:45 Rotator Cuff Tendonitis vs. Biceps Tendonitis
01:06 How to Identify Biceps Tendonitis?
01:33 Activities to Avoid
01:52 Massage Biceps Muscle & Tendon
02:24 Supine Wand Flexion
03:29 Dual External Rotation with Resistance Band
04:13 Prone Horizontal Abduction
05:41 Prone Shoulder Extension
06:27 Triceps Extension with Resistance Band
07:14 Side-Lying Flexion
08:09 Pectoralis Muscle Stretch
09:07 Outro

[@PTTimewithTim]

👉 Want to learn Dr. Tim’s Top 5 Daily Stretches for optimal health? Download for FREE here: www.pttimewithtim.com/freebie

[@loriwilliamson5738]

Fabulous info. Very thoroughly explained. I appreciate that! Thank you! Gracie is precious; glad she's in the video.

[@PTTimewithTim]

You’re welcome Lori!

[@norag.5690]

This is so generous! Thank you for this information.

[@PTTimewithTim]

You are so welcome!

[@nboswell216]

Thanks Tim! This one seems to be a recurring one for me from rock climbing, and subsequently never really treating it. Looking forward to finally fixing this!

[@PTTimewithTim]

Glad to help Nick! Biceps Tendonitis tends to be a nagging injury for most as we use the biceps for so many activities during the day.

[@margaretcrowley6989]

Thank you for this!! Has really helped me!

[@PTTimewithTim]

You’re welcome Margaret! Thanks for watching.

[@rainbowlay3381]

Thanks for sharing

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thanks for watching!

[@indrajapetraityte1767]

thank you ❤

[@PTTimewithTim]

Welcome!

[@suzimohammadian2154]

Excellent👍

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@deboradevecchi1464]

Tnks 🙏🏻 By the way, what a beautiful dog❤😊

[@titititi1660]

I will try this..as am.hving this pain for some time..I also do yoga stretches..thank U.

[@titititi1660]

I am asked to do a MRI do U think I shud do it..am 69 now..n active.

[@jandjpt]

I have been suffering from this pain for a month now and your exercises work right away to stop the pain!! Thank you so much for this! How many times a week should I do these?

[@PTTimewithTim]

So glad to hear this! Typically these are done every day to every other day until the pain has decreased significantly, then the frequency can be reduced to a few times per week. You should check out my full article on treating this kind of condition to understand the timeline, alternative treatment options, etc. you can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@nhtna4706]

any breathing mechanism or advise, as i know it would add a lot of difference..

[@pervezkanchwala7543]

Thanks for the info! When should one be performing these exercises to rehab the injury? Daily? Before workout? Post workout? Several times a week?

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thanks for the questions. Ideally, these exercises would replace any other upper-body exercises temporarily until the biceps irritation has decreased significantly. I start people off by performing the stretches multiple times per day and the harder strength-based exercises daily, until they begin to use heavier weights, which then reduces frequency to every other day. You should make sure you read my in-depth article on biceps tendonitis as it answers a lot of questions of aggravating activities, prevention techniques, and alternative treatment options. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@sz.0085]

Can bicep tendonitis also affect pectoral muscles? Thank you for the video as well it helps a lot!

[@PTTimewithTim]

You’re welcome! No, biceps tendonitis does not typically affect the pec muscles.

[@thecastle09]

Years of pain…never goes away no matter what rehab I do.

[@PTTimewithTim]

Sorry to hear that, you should definitely read my in-depth article on biceps tendonitis as I have alternative treatment options and additional information that may be helpful. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@elaineolson550]

Hello-thank you very much for the exercises. (Tendonitis-I’ve had very sites for it over the years-now I have this new one, oh boy lol) I will get right on with your suggestions 😊

[@PTTimewithTim]

@@elaineolson550 Thanks for the comment, Elaine! I would also highly recommend that you my full article on biceps tendonitis, which will give you much more information on treatment alternatives and prevention techniques. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@edwarddaou9941]

What medication do you recommend?

[@ertugrulbae46]

I have tight pec/arm pit. Also pain right at the top bicep tendon

[@BlessUpDiHerbs]

Are you able to give a general timeline of this injury at all?

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thanks for your question. You should read my full article on Biceps Tendonitis as I believe that it will explain the healing process of this injury as well as alternative treatment options. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@sharondiaz137]

I have pain in both arms. Do I do the same thing.?

[@bong-o-2742]

Hi Tim I was diagnosed with tendinopathy in long head of bicep tendon on my left arm in April. The acute pain is reduced. Little Swelling is present in the upper part of thr bicep muscle. But the range of motion is not improving. Still painful to reach my arm overhead with very lite weigh (an apple). And when I rub the tendon it pains. I'm doing the rehab exercises religiously. My question is, is it going to improve ever. I'm starting to give up. Thanks

[@PTTimewithTim]

Hi Arnab, biceps tendinopathy tends to be nagging injury that can easily stick around for many months. It is easy to continually aggravate the biceps tendon because it’s hard not to use our arms during day to day activities. Check out my full article on the condition, if you haven’t already, which will definitely give you some more ideas and understanding about biceps tendonitis/tendinopathy. pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@servantofthetruth8203]

Hey whats buddy, i have bicep tendinitis. more so in the front shoulder area. I wanted to start boxing. You think its a good idea or should i stay clear?

[@PTTimewithTim]

Boxing uses the biceps a lot and it could easily further aggravate biceps tendonitis, especially from the quick, powerful movements. If it were me, I would hold off on boxing and focus more on strengthening the supporting musculature such as the rotator cuff and scapular muscles while reducing the biceps irritation. Then, once you're able to tolerate the boxing movements without increased biceps pain, it's game on. You really should read my article on biceps tendonitis as it could be quite helpful to you. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@servantofthetruth8203]

@@PTTimewithTim okay, thanks for your advice. I will read and definitely follow what you have written in your article.

[@newts1964]

How long does this take on average to heal and how often should you massage, which is nearly impossible to do myself as I have it in both shoulders

[@PTTimewithTim]

Typically the massage is recommended to do 2-3x/day. It's just a gentle massage to help relax the tight, irritated muscle. You could try resting one elbow on the armrest of a couch or chair while that arm is massaging the other side. That way you won't have to actively hold the arm bent while massaging. You definitely should read my in-depth article on biceps tendonitis which explains everything in more detail and includes alternative treatment options as well. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@clarewalters5189]

Great to find these exercises 👍 However a few hours after doing them I feel pain/dull achy/tenderness in the process on the front of my shoulder. Also slightly more along the top of the ligament. I’m assuming though that I will feel a little more discomfort after doing them as I’m working the area. Is this normal? Just wanted to check as didn’t want to keep doing them if I’m making things worse (it has only been every other day for 4 days so early days) Thanks 🙏

[@PTTimewithTim]

Hello Clare, the point of these exercises specifically is to help relax the bicep and allow it to heal while strengthening all of the supporting muscles around it. It is very important to know that we are not trying to strengthen the bicep at this stage as biceps tendinitis is an overuse injury, so trying to strengthen it would just irritate it further. Each exercise should only be performed within a pain free range of motion. Each exercise can be modified as needed (whether that is slightly changing the direction of movement or shortening up the overall movement) to ensure that it is not recreating the shoulder pain. It should still create muscle fatigue in other areas of the shoulder but not in the front part. Otherwise, leave out that specific exercise and continue with the others. Also, it is important to keep in mind all of the other daily activities that one does throughout the day (ex. Carrying groceries, driving, etc) that can also aggravate the bicep, so always keep that in mind. You should check out my full article on biceps tendinitis that covers all aspects in-depth: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@clarewalters5189]

@@PTTimewithTim thanks Tim, I was also doing a couple of extra exercises after so I’l stop those and just stick with yours for at least a couple of weeks. If I’m feeling improvement by then is it ok to start adding other strengthening exercises in? I Think I’m being to eager 😬

[@clarewalters5189]

Hey Tim, I’ve tried a few times to look at your article on a couple of devices but it keeps saying “timed out, host error” thought I’d let you know as sounds like it’s something your end? Will keep trying. Thanks for your reply 👍

[@PTTimewithTim]

@@clarewalters5189 Thanks for letting me know. I’m guessing you’re trying to access it on mobile with WIFI. My host server hasn’t been able to figure out why a small minority of people have issues in viewing the website this way. If you try viewing it on your mobile phone with WIFI turned off it seems to do the trick. Sorry about that.

[@clarewalters5189]

@@PTTimewithTim got it 👍 thanks Tim

[@emilyj2358]

Hello Tim, can these exercises be done in a wheelchair?

[@oneandonly9010]

could this help distal bicep tendonitis? ive tried everything with no success . thanks

[@PTTimewithTim]

Yes, these exercises would be used to treat both proximal and distal biceps tendinitis.

[@jonathanmotty4296]

I dont have any pain or anything. I was doing calf raises where the pads is on your shoulder and u lift upwards and i felt the left pad compress a nerve on my left side in my shoulder somewhere and my arm went numb for a second. Ever since then ive felt like ive had restricted movement on my left upper body. Its been a month now and ive never had pain but ive tried to work out upper body twice now and its weird. I can lift perfectly fine and curl fine with my right arm and bicep, but when it comes to my left arm, i can barely do half as many reps, and my bicep isnt even flexed. For example ill do curls, right side perfectly fine and i can go until i feel that my bicep is actually tired. Whereas my left side, ill be curling then all of a sudden i just cant do the next rep even though my bicep tired or anything. It just stops working. If you know anything and can give me advice, thatd be great

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thanks for commenting Jonathan. I’m sorry to hear about your injury. While I can’t give you specific medical advice or a diagnosis, I can say that the symptoms you are describing definitely sound like a nerve compression injury. Nerves are super slow healers. They control your muscles and when they are injured, the muscles that they innervate will feel weak and fatigue quickly. I’m guessing that you were probably lifting some pretty heavy weight on the bar. With never compression injuries, they can take 3-6 months or even sometimes longer to fully heal depending on how bad the initial injury was. Typically they heal on their own and the person would notice a gradual return of muscle control over time. If I didn’t notice any improvements within the next month, then I would seek out medical care with a neurologist because they could do a nerve conduction velocity test to determine the true severity of the nerve damage. Hope this helps 👍

[@owner3052]

Tim, I hurt my Distol tendon 5 weeks ago and passed the hook test. I noticed that I have barely any strength when it comes to picking up anything off the floor when my arms are straight. ( even a glass bottle of water or protein container) Is that normal for distol bicep tendonitis ?

[@PTTimewithTim]

Sorry to hear about your injury. It is possible for the distal biceps tendon to be partially torn, which could explain how you would pass the hook test yet still have weakness. The other alternative could be that the muscle belly was torn, though this would usually show up as significant bruising in the area. I assume you haven’t had any imaging done on it yet..

[@Viewvic]

Are shoulder tendonitis the same as biceps tendonitis? I have some pain when I lift my arm around 90-120 degree height to the side.

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thanks for the question. Think of shoulder tendonitis as an umbrella term that could be used to describe several the inflammation of several different muscles/tendons that are located in the shoulder. Biceps tendonitis, however, is only specifically describing inflammation of the bicep muscle/tendon that is located on the front side of the arm. Pain with lifting the arm out to the side of the body is more often caused by Rotator Cuff Tendonitis rather than biceps tendonitis. I have a couple of great articles that guide you in how to determine if you have each that I think you should read. You can find them here: pttimewithtim.com/rotator-cuff-stretches/ And here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@mikes659]

That Prone Horizontal Abduction I can only get my arm about 45 degrees. Any suggestions why ? I can get my arm up higher standing but pain in front of shoulder and bicep. Thank You

[@PTTimewithTim]

Thanks for the comment Mike. Can you only get your arm to 45 degrees due to pain or stiffness?

[@mikes659]

@PT Time with Tim Both, also with the one where you bring the arm back to about 45 degree where you rotate your palm

[@PTTimewithTim]

Try to limit the overall range of motion for each exercise, so that you’re only moving through the pain free range only (stopping just shy of when the pain starts). If you still struggle with it, then just skip that one altogether until you can revisit it when it’s less painful.

[@ArisAris-ku7np]

On the side Lying Flexion I can feel the tendon in my bicep cracking and moving is this serious problem ? But it doesn’t hurt like 1of 10 pain

[@PTTimewithTim]

Typically the popping is caused by the tendon popping over the bone as it moves. Usually elevating the arm a bit higher towards the ceiling will reduce this sensation.

[@mtelectrical8068]

Can the pain be on the back of the arm?

[@PTTimewithTim]

No, biceps tendonitis will not cause pain in the back of the arm.

[@mtelectrical8068]

@@PTTimewithTim thank you.. I wonder what it could be?

[@kingroy7964]

I am a painter ..facing tenis elbow problem..how to heal this?

[@PTTimewithTim]

I actually have a video just for that! TOP 6 Elbow Pain Relief Exercises & Stretches (Tennis Elbow) | PT Time with Tim kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3iwfWSboZWJhdE

[@philip9814]

Is it normal for these exercises to aggrovate the tendonitis?

[@PTTimewithTim]

Hi Philip, no the exercises are not meant to aggravate the biceps tendonitis. As mentioned in the video, if you have pain while performing a certain exercise, trying reducing the weight, shortening the range of motion to a pain free range, or just skipping that exercise all-together if it just doesn’t seem to be working for you. With that said, it is important to also remember that doing everyday activities (outside of the exercises) can also continue to aggravate biceps tendinitis. You should check out my full, in-depth article on the subject for more information on do’s and dont’s. You can find it here: pttimewithtim.com/biceps-tendinitis-exercises/

[@user-wj7cr8kd6q]

😢

[@AndresCalv]

Should I do this everyday

[@PTTimewithTim]

Hi Andres, these exercises typically start out every other day and then increase to daily within a week or two.

[@Tiger-kq5rm]

@@PTTimewithTimso when can i lift heavy again or when should i start lifting heavy again?

[@PTTimewithTim]

@@Tiger-kq5rm I usually recommend gradually increasing the weights over 3-4 weeks until back to previous levels. However, if pain is felt with a certain weight, reduce back down to the lower level until able to lift the heavier weight with minimal pain.

[@Tiger-kq5rm]

@@PTTimewithTim Thanks, thats a huge help! :)