Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
This article discusses the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of triceps tendonitis.
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Triceps tendonitis commonly occurs from repetitive manual labor tasks such as hammering, or sports activities such as throwing a ball, doing gymnastics, or boxing.
Other big culprits for the development of tendonitis are exercises that target your triceps muscle, including kickbacks, dips, push-ups, and bench presses. For this reason, triceps tendonitis is sometimes called “weightlifter’s elbow.”
Causes of Elbow Pain and Treatment Options
Tendonitis causes inflammation, which leads to a series of chemical reactions in the area of your injury. There are five mainsymptoms of inflammation: redness, warmth, swelling, pain, and loss of function. With triceps tendonitis, you’re most likely to experience pain at the back of your elbow, along with stiffness. You might also feel “weak” when you try to use your affected arm.
Tendonitis typically causes more pain with movement than at rest. Pain can occur when you’re straightening your elbow, which puts tension through your triceps, or when you’re bending your elbow, which stretches your triceps tendon.
In some cases, your healthcare provider might order X-rays or other imaging, such as magnetic resonance imagine (MRI), to assess for abone fractureor more extensive damage to your tendon.
When To See a Healthcare ProviderIf you’ve tried home remedies for a few days and still have significant elbow pain, see a healthcare provider for your triceps tendonitis. If you notice a lump in the back of your arm or are unable to move your elbow without severe pain, seek immediate medical attention to rule out a tendon tear.
When To See a Healthcare Provider
If you’ve tried home remedies for a few days and still have significant elbow pain, see a healthcare provider for your triceps tendonitis. If you notice a lump in the back of your arm or are unable to move your elbow without severe pain, seek immediate medical attention to rule out a tendon tear.
There are several types of treatments for triceps tendonitis, including home remedies, physical therapy, and medications.
Home Remedies
4 Easy Exercises to Improve Elbow Range of Motion and Mobility
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists use a variety of skills and tools when treating tendonitis, including:
Isometric Elbow Strengthening Exercises to Get Your Arms Moving
Medications
There are a variety of medications that can be used to treat triceps tendonitis:
Treatment Options for Tendonitis Relief
While there’s no guarantee that you won’t ever have triceps tendonitis, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing this condition.
Summary
Treatments include home remedies, physical therapy, and medications. Overall, prevention is key; taking care to warm up before a workout, stretch, and use proper form can make a big difference in avoiding triceps tendonitis.
A Word From Verywell
Dealing with triceps tendonitis can be frustrating, especially when you need to take a break from your normal activities. However, temporarily side-lining your activities to address your symptoms can keep you from more serious injury—and additional time away from the gym or work. It’s better to treat a small injury than wear yourself down and experience a big injury.
6 Common Types of Tendonitis
Frequently Asked QuestionsTriceps tendonitis symptoms can decrease within a few days of stopping the activity that caused your condition. However, full recovery can take several months.Tendonitis can occur from exercises that target your triceps, such as kickbacks, push-ups, dips, and bench presses.Triceps tendonitis causes pain at the back of the elbow that increases with movement.
Triceps tendonitis symptoms can decrease within a few days of stopping the activity that caused your condition. However, full recovery can take several months.
Tendonitis can occur from exercises that target your triceps, such as kickbacks, push-ups, dips, and bench presses.
Triceps tendonitis causes pain at the back of the elbow that increases with movement.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Orthopedic & Spine Center.Triceps tendonitis or weightlifter’s elbow.Harvard Health Publishing.Tendonitis.Prall J, Ross M.The management of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in an occupational health setting: the role of the physical therapist.J Exerc Rehabil. 2019;15(2): doi:10.12965%2Fjer.1836636.318Aurora Health Care.Tendonitis symptoms & treatment.Spoendlin J, Meier C, Jick SS, Meier CR.Oral and inhaled glucocorticoid use and risk of Achilles or biceps tendon rupture: a population-based case-control study.Ann Med. 2015;47(6):492-498. doi:10.3109/07853890.2015.1074272NYU Langone Health.Therapeutic injections for bursitis & tendinitis in adults.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Orthopedic & Spine Center.Triceps tendonitis or weightlifter’s elbow.Harvard Health Publishing.Tendonitis.Prall J, Ross M.The management of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in an occupational health setting: the role of the physical therapist.J Exerc Rehabil. 2019;15(2): doi:10.12965%2Fjer.1836636.318Aurora Health Care.Tendonitis symptoms & treatment.Spoendlin J, Meier C, Jick SS, Meier CR.Oral and inhaled glucocorticoid use and risk of Achilles or biceps tendon rupture: a population-based case-control study.Ann Med. 2015;47(6):492-498. doi:10.3109/07853890.2015.1074272NYU Langone Health.Therapeutic injections for bursitis & tendinitis in adults.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Orthopedic & Spine Center.Triceps tendonitis or weightlifter’s elbow.Harvard Health Publishing.Tendonitis.Prall J, Ross M.The management of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in an occupational health setting: the role of the physical therapist.J Exerc Rehabil. 2019;15(2): doi:10.12965%2Fjer.1836636.318Aurora Health Care.Tendonitis symptoms & treatment.Spoendlin J, Meier C, Jick SS, Meier CR.Oral and inhaled glucocorticoid use and risk of Achilles or biceps tendon rupture: a population-based case-control study.Ann Med. 2015;47(6):492-498. doi:10.3109/07853890.2015.1074272NYU Langone Health.Therapeutic injections for bursitis & tendinitis in adults.
Orthopedic & Spine Center.Triceps tendonitis or weightlifter’s elbow.
Harvard Health Publishing.Tendonitis.
Prall J, Ross M.The management of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in an occupational health setting: the role of the physical therapist.J Exerc Rehabil. 2019;15(2): doi:10.12965%2Fjer.1836636.318
Aurora Health Care.Tendonitis symptoms & treatment.
Spoendlin J, Meier C, Jick SS, Meier CR.Oral and inhaled glucocorticoid use and risk of Achilles or biceps tendon rupture: a population-based case-control study.Ann Med. 2015;47(6):492-498. doi:10.3109/07853890.2015.1074272
NYU Langone Health.Therapeutic injections for bursitis & tendinitis in adults.
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