Triceps Tendinopathy

The triceps tendon is a tough, flexible tissue that connects the triceps muscle to the elbow bone at the back of the upper arm. It assists your triceps muscles in straightening your arm.

Straining a tendon repeatedly can cause tiny micro-tears in the tissue. The body will try to heal these tears, but they are sometimes formed faster than the body can repair them. As the number of tears increases, it can cause inflammation, weaken the tendon, and result in larger tears in the tissue.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptoms of triceps tendonitis are pain and weakness in the triceps, shoulders, or elbows. When attempting to use the triceps, such as in pushing or pulling motions with the arm, pain frequently worsens. Other signs and symptoms may include:

• Achiness in the shoulder, triceps, or elbow.
• Snapping sounds or sensations in the shoulder or elbow.
• Occasional swelling at the back of the elbow.

What are the causes & risk factors?

Triceps tendonitis is frequently caused by activities that require the elbow to be extended forcefully. Throwing a baseball, hammering, bench presses, and gymnastics are some examples. These activities can cause more strain if you rapidly increase their difficulty or frequency. Tight arm muscles or arm muscles that are much stronger than others can put additional strain on the triceps tendon. The majority of these risks can be mitigated with proper warm-up and training.

Tendonitis can also be caused by a disease like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or an infection.