The biceps is a muscle that starts in the front of your shoulder, goes down your arm and inserts at the front of your elbow. Bicep curls; bending the elbow, work the bicep (shocking, I know) but did you know that the bicep also helps to turn your palm up towards the ceiling (supination) and raise your arm up over your head at your shoulder? Bicep tendonitis can happen both in the shoulder or in the elbow. It can become irritated from overuse, repetitive movements, poor ergonomics, compensatory shoulder movements, sleeping positions ect.
Lets test it. Hold a water bottle in your hand, put your arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height, now turn your palm up to the ceiling. Pain? Weakness? That could mean bicep tendonitis at the shoulder. Now take that water bottle and do a bicep curl with your elbow at your side. Does that hurt? That could mean bicep tendonitis in the elbow. Biceps tendonitis typically causes pain in the front of your shoulder or down the front of your arm. You may also experience clicking, popping or weakness.
So let’s talk anatomy: The bicep has two components or heads. The long head starts in the front of your shoulder and connects to the labrum which is essentially a suction cup that holds the arm bone into your shoulder joint. That bicep travels across the front of your shoulder through the bicipital groove and then down your arm. Think of the bicep in the shoulder as a seat belt. It helps to keep your shoulder from falling too far forward but when there is too much force through it it can lock up. Typically the bicep sits perfectly in its groove. If you start to over use the bicep or irritate it for any reason that can cause swelling. This swelling takes up additional space in an already tight groove, which makes your body angry, causing more swelling…and thus starts the vicious cycle. Sometimes swelling can push the bicep out of its home- groove and cause clicking or popping. Initially this problem will start with occasional pain, if not taken seriously or addressed the bicep muscle can actually tear.
So why does this happen? The shoulder is made up of several muscles which are all meant to work together to provide you with the stability and strength you need to participate in day to day life. Sometimes muscles become lazy, and therefore other ones have to work harder to pick up the slack. Excessive overhead motion at work or sports can further increase this muscle imbalance. If the bicep is always the one having to do more work it can get tight, irritated and inflamed, starting the cycle we just chatted out. It is important to use a personalized exercise plan on a regular basis to ensure all your muscles are strong and pulling their weight (literally). Stretching is also crucial to ensure that muscles are loose and mobile so they can move and work in the way we need, when we need them to. Check out our home exercise plan to get that bicep feeling better.
Therapy is crucial to assess what muscles are tight and what are slacking to help reestablish balance in your shoulder. By doing a few exercises and stretches every day you can finally get that pain under control and avoid tearing the muscle or the need for surgery. Eccentric exercises are used to help lengthen the bicep and regain strength. It is also crucial to strengthen your back and tricep to ensure your shoulder is being held in the proper position and not overusing that bicep seat belt. Add stretching into your day several times a day to help slowly lengthen that bicep.
Be conscious of how much you use your bicep every day. Do you always carry groceries in that arm? Consistently carry your baby on that side? Carry your computer in that arm at work all day? These can all be contributing to symptoms. Try to be aware of when you experience symptoms and if there is a pattern. If there is, change that activity! It doesn't need to be a huge change, maybe just how you're doing it. Change your hand or arm position: keep your elbow close to your body, carry it with your palm to the floor instead of to the ceiling, use a rolling cart or backpack…your bicep and shoulder will thank you!
Baytide Health strives to write blogs that are easy for everyone to understand and feels like you're chatting with a friend. Learning and caring for your body should be easy, convenient….and enjoyable! Specifics questions or suggestions of topics? Send us a message! We write for you!
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