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Avoid Pain and Injury With Two Simple Triceps Stretches

The triceps see action in almost every workout regimen. Are you taking care of yours during your cool down routine?

Levi Harrison

Written by Last updated on Apr 27, 2022

Whether your goal is performance or aesthetics, triceps training is a major component of most fitness regimens. Prioritize your triceps stretching routine after any pressing or arm-based workout to minimize your risk of injury. Let’s first review some anatomy.

What Are Triceps, Anyway?

The anatomy of the triceps muscle is relatively straightforward when we consider its function. The triceps brachii muscle is an extensor of the elbow. It allows us to straighten the forearm. The muscle is located on the posterior aspect of the arm. It has three distinct heads referred to as the long, medial, and lateral heads. Let’s review more details about the triceps brachii muscle anatomy.

  • The long head takes its origin from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula.
  • The medial head takes its origin from the dorsal humerus.
  • The lateral head begins its insertion on the dorsal humerus.

As stated earlier, this tri-headed muscle is the largest muscle group of the upper arm. It merges together and forms a common tendon that inserts on the posterior proximal ulna, which is the olecranon. This muscle is innervated by the radial nerve, which is a part of the brachial plexus.

How to Stretch Your Triceps

Stretching your triceps is an essential part of any arm workout. The following two stretches can be done while seated to avoid any issues, especially if you are dizzy or light-headed from your workout.

Basic Triceps Stretches
  1. Extend your arm across the chest and hold the arm in this position for 15-30 seconds. Perform 3 repetitions on each side. If you are standing, keep your knees slightly bent and shoulders squared. The extended arm can be held in high and low positions across the chest, as well as the standard mid-chest position. Adding these upward and downward angles will help you to hit all three heads and stretch all areas of the triceps that are normally ignored.
  2. Another effective triceps stretch is to flex or bend the elbow and then place the elbow behind your head, across from your ear on the same side. Once you are in the appropriate position, hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds for 3 repetitions.

These two basic stretches will help you avoid injury and minimize pain in your arms after an intense workout.

More Arm Advice From Dr. Levi:

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

Levi Harrison

About Levi Harrison

Dr. Levi Harrison earned his medical degree at the University of California at Davis, School of Medicine and completed fellowship at the internationally renowned Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis. He completed his Orthopedic Surgery residency in Los Angeles where he now resides and sees patients.

Dr. Harrison's practice is the center of excellence for sports-related upper extremity and shoulder injuries, as well as hand rehabilitation. He has a special interest in hand and wrist trauma and fracture care. He also provides exceptional care in the area of repetitive motion, work-related injuries, and aesthetic and restorative hand function procedures.

Dr. Harrison's medical practice serves a culturally diverse population comprised of elite collegiate and professional athletes, celebrities, and service personal that includes fire fighters, police officers, armed service personal, teachers, secretaries, artists, and musicians. He offers a wide variety of customized weight loss and training modules to assist patients in attaining their lifestyle and fitness goals. In addition to being an avid sports enthusiast, fitness expert, motivational speaker, and philanthropist, he hosts a weekly radio show on LA Talk radio.

Dr. Harrison has developed his skills during more than two decades of education and training, and as such, he finds himself guided by three core values: commitment, compassion, and service, which he shares in his life and daily practice.

In his own words: “My mission is to heal, restore and rejuvenate with compassion and integrity. I am grateful to provide clinical and surgical excellence to support my patients as they return to an improved quality of life. My involvement in the community extends beyond my practice into the lives of those I serve through motivation, fitness and healthy living and weight management presentations.”

You can learn more about Dr. Levi Harrison on his Facebook, Twitter, and website.

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