Triceps brachii muscle

Muscle infobox
Name = Triceps brachii
Latin = musculus triceps brachii
GraySubject = 124
GrayPage = 444

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Caption = Triceps brachii

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Origin = long head: scapula
lateral head: posterior humerus
medial head: posterior humerus
Insertion = olecranon process of ulna
Blood = deep brachial artery
Nerve = radial nerve
Action = extends forearm, caput longum adducts shoulder
Antagonist = Biceps brachii muscle
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DorlandsPre = m_22
DorlandsSuf = 12551300
The triceps brachii (Latin for "three-headed" [muscle] of the arm) is the large muscle on the back of the human upper limb. It is the muscle principally responsible for extension of the elbow joint (i.e. straightening of the arm). Though a similarly-named muscle, the triceps surae, is found on the lower leg, the triceps brachii is commonly called simply the "triceps".

Terminology

The proper plural form of the adjective "triceps" is "tricipes", a form not in general use; instead, "triceps" is used in both singular and plural (i.e., when referring to both arms). The form "sic|tricep", though common even in professional contexts, is incorrect. The error may derive from a mistaken belief that "triceps" is a plural noun (rather than a singular adjective), since English typically forms its plurals with the addition of the letter "s" to the end of a word stem.

Origin and insertion

The three heads have the following names and origins:
*The "Long head": infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula
*The "Lateral head": posterior shaft of the humerus, lateral and superior to the radial (spiral) groove.
*The "Medial head": posterior shaft of the humerus, medial and inferior to the radial (spiral) groove. The fibers converge to a single tendon to insert onto the olecranon process of the ulna (though some research indicates that there may be more than one tendon.) [cite journal | author = Madsen M, Marx R, Millett P, Rodeo S, Sperling J, Warren R | title = Surgical anatomy of the triceps brachii tendon: anatomical study and clinical correlation | journal = Am J Sports Med | volume = 34 | issue = 11 | pages = 1839–43 | year = 2006 | pmid = 16735585 | doi = 10.1177/0363546506288752]

Many mammals have a fourth head, the "Accessory head", which lies between the Lateral and Medial heads. In humans, the Anconeus is sometimes loosely called "the fourth head of the triceps brachii".

Actions

The triceps is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint, and is an antagonist of the biceps and brachialis muscles. It can also fixate the elbow joint when the forearm and hand are used for fine movements, e.g., when writing.

The triceps accounts for approximately 70 percent of the upper arm's muscle mass.

Training

The triceps can be worked through either isolation or compound elbow extension movements, and can contract statically to keep the arm straightened against resistance.

Isolation movements include cable push-downs, "skull-crushers", and arm extensions behind the back. Examples of compound elbow extension include pressing movements like the push up, bench press (flat, incline or decline), military press and dips. Using a closer grip stabilizes the arm allowing more weight to be used, so the triceps can be worked harder without assistance from the pectorals or deltoids.

Static contraction movements include pullovers, straight-arm pulldowns, and bent-over lateral raises, which are also used to build the deltoids and latissimus dorsi.

Elbow extension is important to many athletic activities. As the biceps is often worked more for aesthetic purposes, this is usually a mistake for fitness training. While it is important to maintain a balance between the biceps and triceps for postural & effective movement purposes, what the balance should be and how to measure it is a conflicted area. Pushing and pulling movements on the same plane are often used to measure this ratio.

=Additional

ee also

* Triceps reflex

References

External links

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* [http://www.ithaca.edu/faculty/lahr/LE2000/UE_Ind_Study_99/shoulder/edited/superficial_post.jpeg Photo] at Ithaca College
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