Tricep Pain
How to Cope With Tricep Pain
Tricep pain is traditionally caused by a type of tendonitis in the area. It is commonly seen in bodybuilders or individuals who engage in physical labor for a living. It can cause a significant amount of discomfort and really interfere with your daily activities and quality of life. If you think that you have caused injury to your tricep, it is recommended to see a doctor as soon as you can.
The tricep muscle is what you use to straighten out your arm. It is attached with a large tendon to your elbow. Tricep pain is generally the result of inflammation of that large connecting tendon. It occurs from excessive force and overuse such as with bench-pressing, hammering or throwing movements.
Symptoms Of Tricep Tendonitis
Symptoms associated with tricep tendonitis include:
- Pain when you attempt to straighten your arm out.
- Pain when you try to bend your arm.
- Constant pain in the back of your arm above your elbow.
- Bruising near your elbow.
- Swelling on the back of your arm or around your elbow.
Tendonitis symptoms are usually recurring and tricep pain is most often experienced with movement or strain. Only a qualified doctor can determine the severity of the tricep tendonitis and will generally take X-rays to check for any chipped bones that could be causing the condition or elevating pain levels.
Treatment
While tricep pain associated with tendonitis can be treated, the condition may not be able to be cured in some people. Below are common treatment methods for tricep tendonitis.
- Always apply an icepack to the area several times per day. If you must continue to work, you will need to ice the tricep on a break and during your lunch hour to help decrease inflammation.
- Take ibuprofen or some other type of anti-inflammatory medication.
- Wear some type of strap or brace around your tricep, near your elbow to offer support.
- In extreme cases, if the tendon is ruptured, surgical treatment may be the only option. Ideally this will take place within two weeks of the injury occurring.
- Tricep rehabilitation exercises can be helpful whether you had surgery or not.
Rehabilitation
As soon as you feel an intense level of tricep pain you should stop whatever you are doing immediately. The following tricep rehabilitation exercises should be done with only three to five pound weights at the most. While you may feel a good stretch, you should not be in pain. These exercises are meant to heal your injury not make it worse.
- Kneeling Push-Ups – Come down on the floor on your hands and knees. Your hands should be right beneath your shoulders. Lower yourself to the floor slowly and then push back up. Aim to complete 15 repetitions, rest and then repeat. After time, when these are comfortable for you to do, you can graduate to completing regular pushups.
- Dumbbell Kickbacks – Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand and arms at your sides. Bend at your waist until your back and arms are parallel to the floor. Bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle. This is your starting position. Slowly extend your palm toward the ceiling backward so you feel a good stretch in your tricep. Repeat this 15 times, rest and complete another set.
- French Stretch – Begin by holding your hands very high up above your head and clasp your fingers together. Now, stretch out your triceps by reaching behind your head and attempt to touch your shoulders or your upper back. Your elbows should be pointing frontward. Hold this stretch for about 20 seconds and repeat 10 times.