Recovering from a biceps tendon rupture? 3 treatments often recommended during physical therapy

When a tear occurs in the tendon that connects the biceps muscle to the shoulder and elbow bone, it can cause pain, popping sensations, and weakness in your arm. This rare condition is a biceps tendon rupture, and it occurs in approximately 1.2 to 2.55 per 100,000 people. It can come from an injury, overuse, or age-related weakness in the tendon. 

The good news is that physical therapy may be able to ease your pain. As a physical therapist works on your biceps tendon rupture recovery, you’ll be guided through exercises that can help improve your range of motion, boost your strength and reduce pain and inflammation. Here are some treatments that may be able to help. 

3 physical therapy treatments for biceps tendon rupture 

Depending on the severity of your injury, your physical therapist may recommend one or several of the following treatments. 

1. Strengthening exercises

Your physical therapist can walk you through strengthening movements designed to decrease strain on the injured tendon. These movements do so by strengthening the muscles the tendon is attached to. These exercises may also help improve your ability to do normal daily tasks like lifting grocery bags or laundry baskets.

2. Manual therapy

With manual therapy, your therapist uses hands-on techniques like joint mobilization to improve mobility, strength, and flexibility. These techniques manipulate the muscles and tissues to help reduce pain in your biceps.

3. Range-of-motion exercises 

Range-of-motion exercises can help restore the mobility in your shoulder, elbow, and forearm. These exercises aim to improve flexibility, reduce stiffness, and boost blood flow to support tissue repair.

Ease your biceps tendon rupture pain at REPAIR SI

If you’re struggling with pain or a limited range of motion from a biceps tendon rupture, physical therapy may help. By strengthening your muscles and improving your flexibility, physical therapy can help alleviate your pain and restore your mobility. 

With the guidance of a physical therapist, you can find out which exercises are safe and effective to treat your biceps tendon rupture. At REPAIR SI, our team is here to support you on your path to recovery. 

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.