Triceps Muscle Pain

Triceps muscle pain refers to discomfort or soreness in the large muscle located at the back of the upper arm, responsible for elbow extension and arm stabilization.

What is Triceps pain?

• If you feel pain near the back of your upper arm, it could be triceps pain. Overusing your muscles, carrying heavy objects, or straining yourself excessively at the gym are the usual causes of this kind of soreness.
• Because it is composed of three segments, this muscle is called the triceps.
• There are several reasons for triceps pain or discomfort, but it usually indicates that the muscle fibers are torn. Soreness, micro tears or larger tears, and straining are the causes of this pain.
• Additionally, the patient has tendinopathy, tendinitis, and triceps pain.
• The cord-like structure that attaches the triceps muscle to the elbow joint bone is called the triceps muscular tendon.
• Tendinitis is a disorder that causes inflammation and pain in the tendon as a result of repetitive motion against resistance.
• The triceps muscle tendon eventually becomes damaged due to a persistent ailment called tendinopathy.

What is the triceps muscle?

• The triceps muscle’s primary job is to extend the elbow joint.
• The three muscular head places of origin are what this triceps brachii muscle depends on.
• This muscle, which runs nearly the whole length of the humerus, is the only component group of the arm’s posterior muscles.
• The triceps muscle attaches to the scapula and humerus at their respective origins and inserts into the ulna through a single tendon.

What are Causes of the triceps muscle pain?

The first reason is excessive elbow joint use or strain:

• This illness causes pain in the triceps muscles.
• This situation occurs following an exercise session, an activity such as shoveling, or an axe-throwing night.
• However, it is a typical aspect of the muscle’s recovery from intense exercise.
• Patients usually don’t experience any pain until the next day, usually within two days.
• Muscular soreness usually goes away with rest, a gentle massage, and some light stretching.

Triceps strain:

• When the triceps muscle tears, it results in a triceps muscle strain, which causes acute, severe pain.
• The number of ripped muscle fibers determines how painful this strain is.
• Rest and icing are the first steps in the treatment.
• Light exercise and stretching assist prevent stiffness after the patient believes the pain is manageable.
• Call a doctor if the pain is severe, unbearable, or persists for more than a week or two following the injury.

Tendonitis & tendinopathy:

• It follows the repetitive motion at the elbow joint that results in the tendon’s microtears.
• Tendinitis eventually progresses to tendinopathy, a persistent deterioration of the tendon, due to the tendon’s poor capacity for self-healing.
• Both tendonitis and tendinopathy cause pain that worsens when performing arm-straightening exercises, especially when doing so against resistance, such as push-ups.
• Compression, ice, rest, and gentle stretching are the methods used to treat triceps tendonitis.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, also relieve pain.
• These drugs might not work for tendinopathy because it is a degenerative rather than an inflammatory disorder, and applying heat packs to the affected area is more likely to be beneficial than applying ice.

Tendon rupture:

• Since the rupture is partial, portions of the muscular tendons are still joining the triceps muscle to the bone.
• When a tendon or muscle rips completely, the triceps muscle at the elbow joint becomes totally separated from the bone.
• When the tendon is already too weak due to chronic tendinopathy, a tendon rupture occurs in the triceps.
• In addition to the underlying medical conditions—such as long-term steroid usage, local steroid injections, endocrine disorders, and previous elbow surgery—that weaken the muscular tendon and cause rupture.
• Depending on the function and level of pain, minor tendon ruptures may not require surgery, while major ruptures typically require surgery to reattach the tendon.
• Contact the physician within a few days if the patient experiences a partial or complete rupture of the triceps tendon.

Bruising:

• In high-impact trauma, like car accidents/being hit with a baseball bat, bruising is a sign of a fracture of the humerus which lies the upper arm bone.
• There may also be a visible deformity.
• If the patient suspects the arm is broken, they go to the ER immediately.

Other possible causes of triceps muscle pain:

• There are numerous disorders that can cause triceps muscle soreness, however, this particular condition is rare and has the following distinctive symptoms:
• Cellulitis is a localized infection of the skin and soft tissues.
• Upper arm compartment syndrome damage to the brachial plexus or cervical spine
• Damage to the radial nerve.

What are Symptoms of the triceps muscle pain?

• The patient experiences dull, achy pain in the triceps.
• When the muscle contracts, the arm straightens, and when the muscle relaxes, the arm bends, making the soreness greater.
• After overexerting a muscle, soreness may take up to one or two days to manifest.
• The patient feels as though the triceps muscle is tearing or ripping.
• When the patient extends their arm, primarily against the opposition, they experience increasing agony.
• The patient feels a pressure point where the tendon and bone meet right above the rear of the elbow joint.
• The patient notices bruises close to the rear of the elbow joint.
• The patient experiences pain at the location of the bruise.

When should the patient call the doctor?

• if the at-home treatment for the triceps muscle pain does not improve after one to two weeks or if it interferes with day-to-day activities.
• If a person has pain in both the neck and the back of their upper arm, the pain will only get worse over time.
• if the patient experiences weakness, tingling, or numbness in the arm that develops gradually.
• if the patient experiences severe elbow joint pain in addition to a dent.
• Falling onto an outstretched hand might cause damage to the tendon.
• spreading a rash on warm-to-the-touch skin, usually in patients who have fevers.
• Along with other neck anomalies, the patient is experiencing sudden onset arm pain or tingling, which is indicative of spinal cord injury from a herniated disc.

What is the Treatment for triceps muscle pain?

Medical Treatment:

RICE protocol:

• R-rest = The patient must occasionally take a break from work when they experience pain.
• I-ice = Applied to the painful area for 20 minutes; the patient is also accustomed to using frozen peas and an ice pack to relieve pain and swelling.
• C-compression: A compression bandage is applied to the painful area to relieve swelling and spasms.
• E-elevation: Using a pillow to raise the upper limb in order to minimize swelling and ensure proper blood flow.

Pain medications:

• NSAIDs that reduce pain and swelling include ibuprofen, Advil, and Motrin.
• However, avoid taking the drug for longer than a week without first visiting your doctor.

Corticosteroid injections:

In order to help with pain and swelling, the doctor recommends corticosteroid injections.
In the vicinity of the triceps tendon, the physician administers the medication injection.
However, this injection is not advised for tendinitis because the course of treatment extends beyond three months, resulting in recurrent steroid injections that may weaken the tendon and raise the risk of additional damage.

Platelet-rich plasma = PRP injection:

For tendonitis, the physician is also advised to administer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is made by extracting platelets and other blood components from a blood sample.
The region surrounding the triceps tendon receives this injection. Due to the triceps tendon’s inadequate blood flow, this injection aids in supplying nutrients to promote the healing process.

Surgery Treatment:

However, surgery is necessary to repair the torn tendon if the triceps muscle tendon is severely damaged or if no other treatment has been successful.
When a tendon is partially or totally ripped, this operation is usually advised.

Tendon repair:

• Usually, a general anesthetist performs this surgical treatment, rendering the patient asleep during the procedure.
• Following the procedure, the incision is made and the affected arm is immobilized.
• Therefore, after the triceps muscle tendon has been carefully exposed, instruments known as bone anchors or suture anchors are inserted into the bone to use sutures to connect the wounded triceps tendon to the olecranon.

Graft:

• A section of a triceps tendon from another part of the body is used to assist mend the injured tendon when this issue occurs.

Physical Therapy Treatment:

Exercise & stretching for triceps muscle pain.

• Elbow bend & straighten
• French stretch
• Static triceps stretch
• Towel resistance
• Overhead triceps stretch
• Horizontal stretch
• Dynamic triceps warmup
• Leaning stretch
• Triceps pull-down
• Standing bench triceps stretching
• Cross-body stretch
• Wrist pull

Elbow bend & straighten:

• The Elbow Bend & Straighten exercise begins with either a seated or standing position.
• The hands should then be closed into loose fists at the sides.
• Bring both hands up to your shoulders.
• Then, slowly lower your hands and straighten your elbows until your hands are at your sides once more.
• Do this exercise three times a day and up to ten times in a single session.

French stretch:

• When the patient is upright, raise their hands above their head and clasp their fingers together.
• Then, lowering the hands behind the head while keeping the elbow joints close to the ears, try to contact the upper back.
• For 30 seconds, maintain this stretching position.
• Do this stretching three times a day and up to ten times in a single session.

Static triceps stretch:

• Standing or sitting is the initial posture for the static triceps stretch.
• Make sure the elbow joint of the damaged arm is at a 90-degree angle.
• With the palm pointing inward, make a fist out of your hand in this posture.
• Next, Tighten the triceps muscles at the rear of the injured arm by using the fist of the bent arm to press down on the open palm with the other hand.
• For 30 seconds, maintain this stretching position.
• Do this stretching three times a day and up to ten times in a single session.

Towel resistance:

• Standing in the initial position for the towel resistance.
• Next, place one end of the towel in the patient’s hand.
• The patient stands with one arm behind their back and the wounded arm over their head.
• For 30 seconds, maintain this stretching position.
• Do this stretching three times a day and up to ten times in a single session.

Overhead triceps stretch:

• Standing or sitting is the initial posture for the overhead triceps stretch.
• Draw them back and down after raising the shoulder joint toward the ears.
• With your middle finger still resting along your spine, move your right hand close to the middle of your back by lifting your right arm to the sky and bending it at the elbow.
• Next, gently press the elbow joint down and in toward the center with the left hand.
• Do three repetitions of this stretching stance on each side for 30 seconds.

Horizontal stretch:

• The standing or sitting position is where the horizontal stretch begins.
• Cross the body with the right arm.
• Next, bend the elbow joint gently.
• As you press the arm into your chest and shift it to your left side, use your left hand to guide the motion.
• Do the three repetitions on each side while maintaining this stretch position for 30 seconds.

Dynamic triceps warm-up:

• The dynamic triceps warm-up begins with the standing/sitting position.
• Next, do backward circles with the arms.
• Next, rotate the arms in circular motions forward.
• Feel the arms’ pulse as you turn your palms to face forward.

Dynamic triceps warm-up:

• The dynamic triceps warm-up begins with the standing/sitting position.
• Next, do backward circles with the arms.
• Next, rotate the arms in circular motions forward.
• Feel the arms’ pulse as you turn your palms to face forward.

Leaning stretch:

• First, place the elbows over the head on the chair.
• The elbow joint is then bent to assist the lower back strain.
• Make sure the elbow joint is the only area of the body that touches the chair.
• Next, lay the palms on the back of the neck and guide the forearms towards the neck.
• After 30 seconds of holding this stretch, turn around and return to your kneeling position.

Triceps pull-down:

• The patient stands erect and places their feet shoulder-width apart.
• The patient is using their left hand to grasp one end of the resistance band.
• With the aid of your right hand, grasp the resistance band’s other end.
• Next, position this hand at the hip joint level.
• Throughout the action, the patient inhales and presses their left hand against their chest.
• Using the right hand, the patient pulls the band down toward the floor on this inhale until the right arm is fully straight.
• Then, without snapping back, pull the band as far as you can and keep it there for 30 seconds.
• Release the tension that the resistance band has created by exhaling and gradually bringing the right arm back to hip level.
• Switch arms and repeat this exercise.

Standing bench triceps stretching:

• The patient is standing upright, feet apart, with the left leg straight and the right leg bent.
• The right elbow joint should be placed on the bench.
• In order to tilt toward the bench, the patient must first inhale.
• Apply pressure to the right elbow joint and bent right leg during inclining.
• For 30 seconds, maintain this stretching position.
• Then, as they move away from the bench, exhale, straighten their posture, and put their right arm back by their side.
• Do this exercise again with the opposite arm.
• After switching the arm, switch the legs as well.

Cross-body stretch:

• The cross-body stretch begins with the person seated or standing.
• Reach over to the left side of the body after raising the right arm to shoulder height.

Home remedies for triceps muscle pain?

• The RICE concept must be followed when pain arises.
• To relieve the pain, use an anti-inflammatory medication.
• Perform the stretching as well as the same exercise that the physical therapist has given you.
• Use a hot pack: A heating pad can also aid people with chronic tendinopathy who are experiencing pain.

FAQs:

References

• Ladva, V. (2022, March 18). Triceps pain: Cause, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Exercise – Mobile P. Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic. https://samarpanphysioclinic.com/triceps-muscle-pain/
• Patel, P. (2022b, September 2). Triceps muscle strain: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Exercise – Samarpan. Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic. https://samarpanphysioclinic.com/triceps-muscle-strain-treatment-exercise/