Triceps Strain
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What is A Triceps Strain?
A triceps strain is a muscle strain that occurs with the triceps. The triceps become strained when the fibers of the muscle are stretched too far, or in some cases, torn.
Grades of a Muscle Strain
There are 3 Grades of muscle strain that help determine the amount of damage to the muscle.
- Grade 1 – The mildest strain. There is slight damage to a small amount of the muscle fibers. While uncomfortable to experience, the muscle still retains almost all its normal strength.
- Grade 2 – The middle strain. Involves more fibers than a grade 1. The fibers are stretched/damaged and the muscle loses some of its strength and function.
- Grade 3 – The most intense strain. These occur when the muscle is completely torn into two separate pieces. The triceps are no longer able to extend the forearm and the injury can leave a visible ‘break’ or ‘rip’ in the belly of the muscle.
Anatomy Of Triceps Strain
The triceps are a group of 3 muscles that are attached to the back of your arm. The three heads are attached to different places on the shoulder blade and the upper arm bone (humerus). The three heads all start at different locations but are all attached to the same location on a bone in your lower arm. The main function of the triceps are to help extend your elbow, but also helps move the shoulder towards your body and behind your back.
How Does A Triceps Strain Happen?
Most cases of triceps strains occur from trying to contract the muscle beyond its capabilities, or stretching it beyond its limits. It can also occur from repetitive movements that involve extending the elbow. In most cases, the muscle is still able to function, but it is often uncomfortable to use.
How Do You Know You Have A Triceps Strain?
The most common symptom for patients experiencing triceps strain is a sudden pain when extending their elbow. Additional ‘popping’ or ‘cracking’ may also be heard when your straightening arm. The back of you arm may be sensitive to the touch and hurt when pressure is applied. In more severe cases (Grade 2 and 3) there can be visible bruising and even a ‘ridge’ or ‘break’ in the muscle depending on the extent of the tear. The more severe cases may take up to 12 weeks to completely heal.
Tricep Muscles
How do you treat a Strained Tricep?
The usual treatment for most strains or overuse injuries is following the popular anagram
- R – Rest: try to avoid using/extending the injured arm while the tissue heals*
- I – Ice: apply ice/cold pack to arm as needed to help reduce swelling. Try to limit time on ice to no longer than 15 minutes at a time. Feel free to repeat several times a day as needed.
- C – Compress: wrap your upper arm in an ACE bandage or other arm compression sleeve to help reduce swelling.
- E – Elevate: Try to keep your arm lifted to a level above your heart to allow gravity to help reduce swelling.
Try not to avoid not moving your elbow completely while resting your arm. Gentle motion is encouraged to help prevent the elbow from getting to stiff and losing its range of motion.
Tricep Exercise with Weights
How Long does a Tricep Strain Take to Heal?
If you utilize the RICE Protocol (Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate) your triceps should begin to feel better after two to three days. If your arm does not improve within 3 days then you may wish to seek additional medical attention.
How To Reduce Risk Of A Triceps Strain
- Don’t jump into any strenuous activities without helping the muscle ‘warm up’. Some gentle stretches and light activities to help increase blood flow to the muscle. This can help reduce the chances of injuring the muscle fibers when performing more intense activities/exercises.
- Use proper form when exercising. This one seems simple, but one of the most common causes of triceps strain is incorrect form when lifting/moving objects. Take the time to learn new exercises with reduced weight to help make sure you know what you are doing before stressing the muscle. It takes much less time to ‘learn before’ than to ‘recover after’.
- Listen to your body. Overworking any muscle can increase your odds of injuring the tissue, and the triceps are no different. When you become fatigued and sore, do not continue to stress the muscle or you may cause damage to the fibers.
When Should You Go To A Doctor For A Triceps Strain?
You should immediately seek medical attention if you lose your ability to extend your elbow. A good rule of thumb for less intense injuries is that if the pain and ability to use your arm does not improve within 3 days then you may wish to seek additional medical attention.
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By: Zak Katzer, PTA