How does the triceps brachii muscle work? What are its functions? Triceps tendonitis When the triceps muscle of the triceps brachii contracts,

Divided into two groups: anterior (flexors), posterior (extensors). These groups are separated from each other by the plates of the shoulder's own fascia: on the medial side - the medial intermuscular septum of the shoulder, with the lateral - lateral intermuscular septum of the shoulder.

Anterior shoulder muscle group:

1. Coracobrachialis muscle (m. Coracobrachialis)

From the tip of the coracoid process to the humerus below the crest of the lesser tuberosity. Some of the bundles are woven into the medial intermuscular septum of the shoulder.

Functions:

Flexes the shoulder at the shoulder joint and brings it to the body;

If the shoulder is pronated, then the muscle participates in its supination;

If the shoulder is fixed, the muscle pulls the scapula forward and down.

2.Biceps brachii (m. Biceps brachii)

Has two heads:

Short head (caputbreve) begins with the coracobrachialis muscle.

Long head (caputlongum) starts from the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula with a tendon that penetrates the capsule of the shoulder joint and lies in the intertubercular groove, where it is fixed by the transverse humeral ligament (lig. transversum humeri), stretching between the greater and lesser tubercles of the humerus. In the joint cavity and in the groove, the tendon is surrounded by a synovial sheath (vagina tendinis intertubercularis). At the level of the middle of the shoulder, both heads are connected into a common abdomen, which is attached to the tuberosity of the radius. Extends from the tendon to the medial side aponeurosis of the biceps brachii muscle (aponeurosis musculi bicipitis brachii), which merges with the fascia of the forearm.

Functions:

Flexes the shoulder at the shoulder joint;

Flexes the forearm at the elbow joint;

Supinates the forearm.

3. Brachial muscle (m. Brachialis)

It begins between the deltoid tuberosity and the articular capsule of the elbow joint, the medial and lateral muscular septa of the shoulder.

Attaches to the tuberosity of the ulna

Function: flexes the forearm at the elbow joint.

Posterior shoulder muscles

1. Triceps brachii (m. Triceps brachii)

Has three heads:

Lateral head (caputlaterale) begins on the outer surface of the humerus, the bundles pass down and medially, covering the groove of the radial nerve.

Medial head (caputmediale) from the back of the shoulder

Long head (caputlongum) from the subarticular tubercle of the scapula, passes down between the teres minor and major muscles to the middle of the posterior surface of the shoulder, where its bundles connect with the medial and lateral heads. Attached to the olecranon process of the ulna, some of the bundles are woven into the capsule of the elbow joint and into the fascia of the forearm.

Functions:

Extends the forearm at the elbow joint;

The long head is involved in extension and adduction of the shoulder to the body.

2. Elbow muscle (m. Anconeus)

It begins on the posterior surface of the lateral epicondyle of the shoulder.

Attaches to the lateral surface of the olecranon, the posterior surface of the ulna, and the fascia of the forearm.

Function: participates in extension of the forearm.

Fascia of the upper limb

Superficial fascia of the upper limb It is represented by a layer of subcutaneous fatty tissue, the amount of which varies individually. The thickness of the skin fold on the posterior surface of the shoulder is one of the anthropometric indicators of obesity.

Deep (proprietary) fascia differs in its structure in different areas of the upper limb. In the deep fascia covering the muscles of the shoulder girdle, there are five parts.

1. Deltoid fascia (fascia deltoidea) surrounds the muscle of the same name, forms numerous partitions between its bundles; in front it connects with the fascia pectoralis, in the back with the fascia infraspinata, at the top it is attached to the clavicle, acromion and spine of the scapula, at the bottom it continues into the fascia of the shoulder.

2. Supraspinal fascia (fascia supraspinata) It is a thin fibrous plate that is attached to the edges of the supraspinatus fossa of the scapula, forming an osteofibrous sheath for the supraspinatus muscle; in the medial section it is thicker.

3. Infraspinatus fascia (fascia infraspinata), is a well-defined strong aponeurotic plate, attached to the scapula along the edges of the infraspinatus fossa, forms a bone-fibrous sheath for the infraspinatus muscle.

4. Subscapular fascia (fascia subscapularis) It is a thin fibrous plate that is attached to the edges of the scapular fossa and forms a bone-fibrous sheath for the subscapularis muscle.

5. Axillary fascia (fascia axillaris) is formed as follows: the pectoral fascia in the space between the edges of the pectoralis major muscle and the latissimus dorsi muscle thickens, forming the bottom of the axillary cavity, here it is called the axillary fascia, and continues into the fascia of the shoulder.

Fascia of the shoulder (fascia brachii) surrounds the shoulder muscles; two intermuscular septa extend deep from its inner surface - medial and lateral (septum intermusculare brachii mediale etlaterale), attached to the humerus and separating the anterior and posterior muscle groups. The medial intermuscular septum separates the coracobrachialis muscle from the medial head of the triceps brachii muscle. The lateral intermuscular septum separates the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles from the lateral head of the triceps muscle.

As a result, two fascial beds are formed - front (compartmentumbrachiianterius) and rear (compartmentumbrachiiposterius).

Covering the anterior muscle group of the shoulder, the fascia is divided into two plates, forming a separate fibrous sheath for the coracobrachialis and biceps muscles and an osteofibrous sheath for the brachialis muscle. The triceps brachii muscle lies in a separate osteofibrous sheath. In the lower third of the shoulder, the medial saphenous vein of the arm (v. basilica) lies in the subcutaneous tissue, at the border with the middle third it pierces its own fascia and throughout the middle third of the shoulder lies in the splitting of the fascia (Pirogov’s canal), in the upper third of the shoulder the vein goes under its own fascia and flows into one of the brachial veins.

Fascia of the forearm (fascia antebrachii) is a continuation of the deep fascia of the shoulder, it forms a dense sheath for all the muscles of the forearm together and for each muscle separately. The fascia of the forearm is attached to the olecranon process and to the posterior edge of the ulna.

Triceps brachii (triceps) located on the back surface of the shoulder from the shoulder blade to the elbow and is responsible for moving the arm back and bringing the shoulder to the body, and also participates in the extension of the forearm. The triceps (extensor muscle) consists of three heads - long, lateral and medial. The long head begins with a wide tendon from the subarticular tubercle of the scapula. The lateral and medial heads originate on the posterior surface of the humerus. All three heads unite into a flat, wide tendon, which is attached to the olecranon process of the ulna. Triceps injuries are more common in men than in women. Most common for people involved in sports.

Types of injuries: inflammation, sprains, tendon ruptures

Tendon inflammation (tendinitis)
Sprain or bruise
Partial rupture
Complete break

These tears can occur where the tendon attaches to the bone, where the muscle joins the tendon, or in the tendon itself. When small pieces of bone are torn off along with the tendon, an avulsion fracture is diagnosed.

Main causes of injury.

The main causes of injury to the triceps tendon include:

Increased physical activity
Local inflammatory processes (deep scratches, abrasions) provoke the appearance of tendonitis
Age over 40
Chronic diseases (arthritis, impingement, elbow bursitis, etc.)
Taking corticosteroid medications
Mechanical injuries

Symptoms of triceps injury

Pain and swelling in the back of the elbow (common with tendonitis)
When extending or flexing a joint, the patient’s muscle tenses, and when it contracts, tendon tension and pain occur.
Characteristic click
Muscle cramps (sprains)
Nodules under the skin
Swelling and redness of the skin,
Painful palpation of the tendon
Decreased limb strength

Diagnostics.

Damage diagnostics include:

Examination by a doctor
X-ray

Specialists:

Treatment.

To treat tendinitis and triceps sprains, conservative treatment methods are used:

Rest the injured tendon (stop any activity that causes pain)
Applying cold to the sore spot
Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The use of orthoses and splints to reduce the load on the tendon and further tissue restoration
Physiotherapy (electrophoresis, ultrasound, cryotherapy, etc.)
Exercise therapy (prescribed after reduction of inflammatory and pain manifestations).

If there are tendon ruptures, surgical treatment is prescribed. During the rehabilitation period, you should avoid heavy physical labor and sports. The patient is recommended to wear a fixing bandage, physiotherapeutic treatment, and then physical therapy under the guidance of the attending physician is recommended.

Timely and qualified treatment is the key to a speedy recovery. In its absence, these injuries can lead to irreversible changes in the tendon tissue.

Cost of admission

//Post the cost of visiting a traumatologist-orthopedist, rheumatologist, surgeon

For qualified medical care in Moscow, you can contact the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Greetings, friends! Did you know that 2/3 of your arm volume is made up of your triceps? Yes, yes, and you are still pumping your biceps. Meanwhile, the triceps “get bored” without attention and do not grow. But I think that among you there are many people with experience who still know about the importance of developing the triceps brachii muscle.

It often happens that you train your triceps hard, but they don't look the way you want them to. In most cases, it is the most prominent head, the lateral one, that lags behind.

Are there exercises for the lateral head of the triceps that would allow you to work it separately? I will answer this question for you today.

The triceps is called the triceps muscle for a reason. It consists of three heads: lateral, medial and long.

The main function of all three heads is extension of the arm at the elbow joint. The long head is also involved in bringing the abducted arm to the body. The lateral head receives greater load during supination or when the hand is in a neutral position.

Lateral head exercises

Some magazines and articles mention the possibility of isolated training of a separate part of the triceps. But in practice everything is not so simple. In all exercises, the triceps is fully engaged. And the relative sizes of one or another head are determined genetically.

Despite this, it is still possible to slightly shift the emphasis of the load to the lateral head. The following targeted, powerful exercises will allow you to hit the part of your triceps that interests you like never before.

Extensions on a pulley with a rope handle.

This type of handle makes it possible to make the grip neutral and thereby direct the load to the lateral head. Perform the exercise emphatically slowly and technically. This video will help you understand the technique. Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.

Extension on a block with a straight handle with a reverse grip.

There is no point in using a lot of weight. Focus on technique. Perform 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

The exercises given are not basic. Use them at the end of your workout to finish off the lateral head.

The main exercises for developing triceps are the basic movements: . Let's take a closer look at them.

Dips.

For beginners, push-ups in a gravitron (a machine for pull-ups and push-ups with a counterweight) or without weights are suitable.

But as muscle growth occurs, it is necessary to increase the load with additional weight. To do this, you can use a belt with weights or a backpack with a set of weights inside. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

Close grip press.

The regular bench press also targets the triceps, but to a lesser extent. When the grip is narrowed, the load on it increases significantly. Don't grip too narrowly, otherwise it will be difficult to keep the bar balanced. Look at the photo for the technique. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

Triceps push-ups, back to bench

To perform the exercise you will actually need two benches. You need to put your feet on one, and rest your hands on the second. For added resistance, have someone place a couple of plates on your thighs. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

French press.

You can perform the exercise with both a dumbbell and a barbell. In addition, by increasing the incline of the bench, you can influence the stretch of the triceps in the starting position. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

It is necessary not only to train him, but also to allow him to recover after serious work. Please note that the triceps brachii muscle is indirectly involved in all pressing movements.

Therefore, it receives a considerable portion of the load. Targeted training of the triceps is enough once a week. You can separate the training on a separate day as part of the arm workout, complete it after the chest training, or add exercises to the end of the back workout.

Conclusion

Don't count on working the lateral head. Aim to pump up the entire triceps.

Use heavy weights in basic exercises, but do not neglect proper technique for the sake of working weight.

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The triceps is a U-shaped muscle located on the back of the upper arm. Of course, when viewed from the front, he is no competitor, with his magnificent pencil-thin vein running down to his forearm and winding along it all the way to his hand. But a good triceps cannot be compared in functionality to any other muscle. Even great peaked triceps won't make an impression if they're next to flat triceps. One day I looked at the hands of one person in the picture with well-developed triceps and then I realized that it is impossible to have beautiful hands without massive triceps brachii muscle.

In addition, the triceps occupy most of the arm. Think about this when you start training yours again. Even if you are the size of footballs, they will never look impressive without triceps! Your arms simply won't be massive!

The picture above shows very well where the long head is, how it is attached to the shoulder blade, and where the inner head is, which always lags behind.

The structure of the triceps brachii muscle

As the name suggests, the triceps have three parts, or heads. The fibers of all three heads, tapering, pass into the common triceps ligament, which crosses the elbow joint and is attached to the protrusion on the ulna of the forearm. Contraction of the triceps leads to straightening of the arm.

In some people, the triceps ligament is short, and the muscle belly of the triceps extends throughout the arm all the way to the elbow. In others it is relatively long, and the triceps are more “peaked”, but with a short muscle belly. The outer head of the triceps forms the outer part of the letter U. Its fibers start from a small vertical section on the back of the humerus about 2/3 of the way from the elbow to the shoulder joint.

The long head of the triceps (some call it the “internal” head) starts from the scapula bone, just below the head of the humerus. Because its muscle belly crosses the shoulder joint at the back, the arm must be pulled back to fully activate the long head.

Triceps tendonitis is a condition characterized by tissue damage to the triceps tendon, resulting in pain in the back of the elbow.

The muscle at the back of the shoulder is called the triceps. The triceps originates from the scapula and humerus and is attached to the ulna by the triceps tendon. The triceps muscle performs the function of extension at the elbow and works as an auxiliary muscle during other movements in the shoulder. During triceps contraction, the vector of movement is transmitted by the tendon. When the vector of force on the tendon is excessive or repetitive movements occur, conditions arise for damage to the triceps tendon. Triceps tendonitis occurs when the tendon is damaged, followed by degeneration and inflammation. Tendinitis can be caused by traumatic force exceeding the strength of the tendon or due to gradual wear and tear of the tendon tissue due to excessive loads.

Causes

The most common cause of triceps tendinitis is repetitive, excessive stress on the tendon. This is typically associated with certain movements that require forceful extension of the elbow (such as push-ups or falls). Sometimes tendon damage occurs due to a critical, extreme load on the tendon. Most often, such loads occur during weightlifting or training on exercise machines. There are several main factors that increase the risk of developing tendinitis:

joint stiffness (especially the elbow)
muscle tightening (especially triceps)
improper or excessive training
insufficient warm-up before classes
muscle weakness
insufficient recovery period between workouts
inadequate rehabilitation after an elbow injury
a history of neck or upper back injury.

Symptoms

Patients with this condition usually experience pain in the back of the elbow. In less severe cases, patients may experience only pain and stiffness in the elbow, with symptoms worsening when performing movements that require strong or repetitive contraction of the triceps muscle. These are activities such as doing push-ups, bench presses, falls, boxing punches, and hammer work.

In more severe cases, patients may experience pain that increases to acute pain when performing various activities. Sometimes patients notice swelling in the back of the elbow and experience weakness when trying to straighten the elbow against resistance and pain or discomfort when performing movements associated with contracting the biceps. The pain may also increase when the damaged tendon comes into contact with hard objects.

Diagnostics

A doctor can make a diagnosis based on symptoms, medical history, and examination. During the examination, the doctor pays attention to the presence of swelling or redness in the triceps tendon area, and the presence of pain on palpation of the tendon. If necessary, radiography is prescribed, which allows us to exclude changes in bone tissue. MRI allows you to visualize not only the condition of bone tissue, but also the tendon itself and the degree of its damage. Laboratory tests may also be ordered when it is necessary to exclude systemic or inflammatory diseases or metabolic disorders.

Forecast

Most patients with this disease recover with adequate treatment and can return to normal activities within a few weeks. But sometimes rehabilitation can take several months, especially for those patients who did not immediately seek medical help. Timely treatment (physiotherapy, exercise therapy) is a fundamental condition for a quick recovery. Lack of adequate treatment can lead to irreversible changes in the tendon tissue.

Treatment

As a rule, it is possible to cure, but in some cases treatment is not effective. First of all, to reduce pain, you need to stop the activity that leads to increased pain. Conservative methods of treating tendonitis include: applying local cold (for 20 minutes 3-4 times a day), taking NSAIDs (for example, Movalis, Celebrex, Voltaren), using splints, orthoses, which help reduce the load on the tendon and allow the tendon tissue to recover .

Physical therapy is very effective in treating tendonitis. Various physiotherapeutic techniques are used (for example, ultrasound, cryotherapy, electrophoresis). The most modern method of treatment is the use of HILT therapy.

Exercise therapy. An exercise program specially selected by a physical therapy specialist allows you to restore both the muscle strength of the triceps and the elasticity and strength of the triceps tendon. Exercise therapy is started after pain and inflammation have decreased. The intensity, volume, and load are selected individually with a gradual increase.

Surgery is the only treatment for a tendon rupture and should be performed no later than 2 weeks after the rupture is diagnosed.