Triceps Stretch
By Taylor Norris RMT at
unionwellness.ca
As spring seems to have finally sprung, it’s time to start preparing once again to head outside for gardening and springtime sports! One very helpful and easy stretch to add to our regular stretching regiment is for the triceps muscles located at the back of our upper arms.
These muscles have three heads (hence the name triceps) that start just below our shoulder sockets and at the upper and lower portions of the back of our upper arms, and end near the point of our elbows. Their primary action is to straighten (extend) our elbow joints and to stabilize our shoulder joints.
We use them most when engaging in pushing and throwing motions. Some common overuse actions like pitching during baseball, shooting during basketball or even lots of time spent digging in the garden can aggravate triceps to the point of eventually having trouble with fully flexing the elbow.
To stretch the triceps, first have a medium towel or yoga strap on hand. Then find a bit of wall space to raise the elbow against during the stretch. Grasp the towel or strap with both hands behind you, and gently pull your hands towards each other and hold it for 30 seconds to a minute if possible.
Watch for another mini exercise routine in a couple of weeks!
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