Biceps Tendonitis Treatment and Exercises Explained

In this video Maryke, discusses proximal biceps tendonitis/tendinopathy - what causes it, what it feels like and what treatment works well. She also discusses the rehab process, including things to avoid and how to sensibly progress your exercises.

👉You can get some of the rehab exercise equipment mentioned in the video here:

Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:15 Anatomy of the biceps tendons
00:04:08 Symptoms of biceps tendonitis
00:06:09 Causes of biceps tendonitis
00:09:44 Rehab exercises for biceps tendonitis
00:12:32 Pendulum exercise
00:13:48 Shoulder blade positioning
00:16:04 Exercises to avoid - rotations
00:17:24 Bicep curls
00:18:14 Overhead press - limiting range
00:21:03 Alternatives to rehab exercises
00:23:36 How long for biceps tendonitis to heal?

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🖥️Some of the software we use to run our online physiotherapy practice:

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References:
1. Cools, A. M., et al. (2014). "Rehabilitation exercises for athletes with biceps disorders and SLAP lesions: a continuum of exercises with increasing loads on the biceps." The American Journal of Sports Medicine 42(6): 1315-1322.
2. Brukner P, Clarsen B, Cook J, Cools A, Crossley K, Hutchinson M, McCrory P, Bahr R, Khan K. eds. Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine: Injuries, Volume 1, 5e. McGraw Hill; 2017.

👉Some links here are to places where you can buy something relevant to this video. If you do, we may get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

[SportsInjuryPhysio]

👉You can get some of the rehab exercise equipment mentioned in the video here:
If you buy anything via these links, we'll get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

[TheMysteryMachine]

Doctor, this video is kind of a life changer. I had a shoulder injury when I fell and it wrenched my shoulder. This was two years ago. I noticed I had some pain, so because it was a work injury I was given physical therapy. At no time was it considered that I had bicep tendonitis. I did everything wrong. My docs did everything wrong. Two years later and I am wondering why I am in worse pain, sometimes staggering pain. I'd be doing my exercises crying. Since discovering your video I have let it settle down, now that i know what is really going on, and i have had four pain free days and good sleep, which i haven't had in months. Now I know what to do. I can't thank you enough. This saved me from worse injury. Im letting that arm rest!

[garrettberg]

I’ve gone to physical therapy and doctors in the military and haven’t received a good diagnosis or good treatment. This video explains my pain perfectly and helps out tremendously, thank you so much.

[billdavis]

I’ve looked at all or most of a lot of videos on this topic, and this is clearly the best one I’ve seen. The level of professionalism puts many of the others to shame, and is superb. And it is a very informative and sympathetic presentation. Congratulations! :)

[ayechill]

As SOON as she said "Uhn-uh" I stopped stretching.
She just never stopped. Every question I had or that popped into my head during the video she answered. Idk why but I trust her.

[GaVoL]

I have to be honest, I have a shoulder injury for 2-3 months now. And this is so far one of the best explanatory videos i found on the internet. My injury do not heal because I do not let it heal. I had to watch this so I can understand it. Thank you, you are awesome!

[TheMuranator]

Probably the most informative video on this subject I've ever seen. Very professional and spoken in layman terms. Thank you for this.

[thecassidys]

At last! Brilliant. Thankyou. Have been told for ages that I had a rotator cuff injury. Lots of bands and external rotation exercises and it hasn’t worked. Now I know why. You describe my injury perfectly. Love your natural unpretentious and honest presentation. So so helpful.

[Noisycowonline]

Proper Nutrition helped me greatly. Anti-inflammatories and eliminating sugars, simplex carbs, soy/seed/veg oils, processed foods, and generally eating healthy. Easier day by day now than when I was half this age.
Food as medicine. Heal from the inside out first, then this advice also is fantastic.

[BallisticCoefficient]

I have had this for several week now thinking it was an anterior delt problem. Yet I can still do deltoid work. I got it from dumbell press ( believe it or not). But it was a massive overload. This Video hit the nail on the head, and now I am happy with the knowledge. Thank you.

[MsDviss]

Wow. Thank you for this great explanation. I’ve been dealing with bicipital pain for months now. I’m a massage therapist and my arms are always rotated internally. This explanation is top notch!

[ooolivia]

I have got a biceps tendonitis for 8 weeks now. My doctor told me to rest and stretch it everyday. It did not get better at all. Thank you for this comprehensive video. I hope to finally get it better now that i know all of this.

[madhusudanmodha]

Without doubt, yours is the most lucid, professional and excellent presentation on this painful issue!! Bravo, bravo, bravo

[ayumur]

Good stuff!! You nailed it. This is 12th video! Going through this issue for the last few weeks with no clear direction. Excellent! Keep it up. Thanks

[MrDevinferreira]

great video, love the level of detail. Your sensense of humour is most welcome Maryke.

[ABOXD]

Thank you so much! the symptoms are exactly how you described them. I’ve been ignoring the pain and doing a lot of stretching thinking that its the right thing to do :D woke up today unable to lift my arm.. will allow it to rest for a few days and work on it slowly for next few weeks.

[richardrossi]

I have exactly what is being discussed. Every video seems to address and assume it's the rotator cuff causing the pain. This is the first video I've seen that hits the nail on the head as an alternative reason for the pain other than the rotator cuff. the advice given here is excellent as is the explanation for the pain and how to deal with it. The example of driving the car holding the steering wheel is spot on. The advice is solid and much more valuable than anything I've seen on YouTube so far. Nice job!

[JW-ymyb]

I've suffered from biceps tendonitis for years following the physio I was prescribed which included aggressive stretching. I threw it out the window, followed this video and am for the first time seeing tangible improvement with greatly decreased pain. Yeah!

[janmichaelchong]

This video explained what i been having pain for months. Physio told me its rotator cuff or labrum/ slap tear. Been doing su much stretches that never help and make it worst. Then i remembered that it started when I do so much weighted dips then shoulder pain started. Now just taking offload and will come back stronger. Thank you. One of the best video on youtube. I subscribed.

[yuyanbao]

OMG, that's exactly my symptoms, and I have been stretching it for days (it's obviously wrong), thank you so much!