×

This article on Epainassist.com has been reviewed by a medical professional, as well as checked for facts, to assure the readers the best possible accuracy.

We follow a strict editorial policy and we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding any level of plagiarism. Our articles are resourced from reputable online pages. This article may contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

The feedback link “Was this Article Helpful” on this page can be used to report content that is not accurate, up-to-date or questionable in any manner.

This article does not provide medical advice.

1

What is Triceps Tendon Avulsion, Know its Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Risk Factors, Complications, Diagnosis

What is Triceps Tendon Avulsion?[1]

Triceps tendon avulsion comes under the category of rare tendinous injuries. These injuries of triceps tendon avulsion are not easy to diagnose and requires a differential diagnosis in all the patients, who deal with the problem of torment and swelling at the back of the elbow after a traumatic incident.

A triceps tendon avulsion is a phenomenal harm to the elbow that can be extremely crippling. The triceps tendon is the vast muscle in the back of the upper arm that serves in the process of elbow straightening. The triceps tendon connects the triceps muscle to the olecranon (the hard tip of the elbow). Damage to the tendon is quite often traumatic and requires a lot of force. The instrument more often than not includes a power that all of a sudden curves the elbow while the muscle is attempting to rectify it. It can happen in weightlifting or in contact and impact games, for example, football.

These injuries of triceps tendon avulsion are always connected with trauma and the athlete will know quickly that a serious injury has happened. Frequently he/ she will depict feeling or listening to a pop in his/her elbow. A doctor looking at the damage will see swelling and often bruising at the back of the elbow and upper arm very quickly. Typically a deformity simply over the olecranon where the tendon inserts can be noticed. The athlete will mainly have weakness while trying to straighten the elbow against resistance. The doctor will ordinarily arrange X-rays to figure out whether the damage pulled a bit of bone off the olecranon. Once in a while a MRI is requested if the X ray analysis is hazy.

Avulsion or break of the triceps tendon (triceps tendon avulsion) has been portrayed as “the least common of the tendon injuries.” In their investigation of 1014 instances of muscle and tendon wounds scientists reported that exclusive eight cases included the triceps tendon avulsion.

 What is Triceps Tendon Avulsion?

Triceps tendon avulsion might be ignored amid an assessment of wounds to the furthest point, particularly when it is connected with breaks of the wrist or outspread head or neck.

As its name proposes, the triceps muscle has three heads of origin, as given below:

  • The long head emerges from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula.
  • The horizontal head emerges from the back surface of the humerus over the radial groove and partly from the sidelong intermuscular septum.
  • The average (medial) head begins from the whole back surface of the humerus beneath the outspread notch from the average and lower parts of the lateral/parallel intermuscular septum as it joins the profound surface of the consolidated long and sidelong heads and structures the solid and wide triceps tendon.

Avulsion or crack of the distal triceps tendon (triceps tendon avulsion) frequently happens after injury. Circuitous injury is the most widely recognized reason for damage and typically includes a fall onto an outstretched arm, with resultant torment about the elbow. This system puts a deceleration weight on a contracted triceps muscle, with or without an attendant hit to the back part of the elbow. The outcome is a separation at the tendo-rigid insertion. The tendon typically withdraws, and bone from the proximal olecranon gets to be inserted in it.

Avulsion has likewise been accounted for after a disengaged hit to the elbow alone. In uncommon occurrences, cracks of the midsubstance belly and musculotendinous intersection have happened. Unconstrained separation of the distal triceps tendon has been accounted for in patients with hyperparathyroidism, marfan syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, systemic treatment with steroids, or systemic lupus erythematosus.

Also, audit of the experts recommends a developing populace of patients with interminable renal disappointment who are getting dialysis, have optional hyperparathyroidism, or both. These patients have all the earmarks of being at expanded danger for triceps tendon avulsion after minor injury.

The system portrayed above for distal triceps tendon separation may likewise bring about the relatively less normal transverse or angled separation break through the proximal olecranon. A high occurrence of cracks of the proximal olecranon is noted among spear hurlers and baseball pitchers. Breaks of the proximal olecranon are not exceptional in youngsters, who are more disposed than grown-ups to have a crack instead of a tendo-rigid separation because of the triceps instrument.

Triceps tendon avulsion can happen with elbow disengagement, maybe as another option to an olecranon break.

About 75 percent of triceps tendon avulsion reported in the writing happened in male patients, with a male-to-female proportion of 3 to 1.

What are the Causes of Triceps Tendon Avulsion?[2]

Triceps tendon avulsion happens when a force is set on the tendon that is more prominent than it can withstand. Normal components of causes for triceps tendon avulsion include:

  • Stress on the tendon from a sudden increment in force can cause triceps tendon avulsion.
  • Direct injury to the tendon can cause triceps tendon avulsion.
  • A laceration (cut) of the tendon.

What are the Signs, Symptoms of Triceps Tendon Avulsion?[3]

The following are the signs and symptoms of triceps tendon avulsion:

  • Tenderness, pain, bruising or inflammation on the injury is a symptom of triceps tendon avulsion.
  • Tearing or popping sensation felt in the elbow at the time of trauma is another symptom of triceps tendon avulsion.
  • Decreased capacity to stretch the elbow or problem in shoulder extension.
  • A crackling sound is heard or felt when the tendon is touched or moved.
  • Loss of firm totality when pushing on the range where the tendon cracked.

What are the Risk Factors for Triceps Tendon Avulsion?

The below are the possible risk factors for triceps tendon avulsion:

  • Activities that include the movements which are repetitive or/and rectifying of the elbow or augmentation of the shoulder (weightlifting or push-ups).
  • Poor flexibility and strength is a risk factor for triceps tendon avulsion.
  • The utilization of steroids can be a risk factor for triceps tendon avulsion.
  • Previous utilization of corticosteroid infusions.
  • Inadequate treatment for the problem of triceps tendinitis.
  • Previous triceps tendon bruise/trauma is a big risk factor for triceps tendon avulsion.

What are the Complications of Triceps Tendon Avulsion?[4]

The complications of triceps tendon avulsion are mentioned below:

  • Chronic weakness of the elbow.
  • Breach of the tendon after the treatment is a complication of triceps tendon avulsion.
  • Long term disability of the elbow is a complication of triceps tendon avulsion.
  • Risks of triceps tendon avulsion surgery includes: bleeding, injury to the nearby tissues, infection, nerve damage.

What is the Diagnosis for Triceps Tendon Avulsion?

The diagnosis of triceps tendon avulsion is typically clear in patients who have a characteristic history. The presence of an obvious crevice in the back elbow is a more significant manifestation than loss of dynamic elbow augmentation in the finding of triceps tendon avulsion.

Clinical elements incorporate agony and swelling of the back part of the elbow. A tangible wretchedness only proximal to the olecranon might be noted on physical examination. These discoveries might be hard to acknowledge in the setting of serious agony and swelling, particularly in the event that they are available in a solid athlete with extensive mass. Ecchymosis might be denoted a few days, yet not instantly, after the harm.

The doctor who is diagnosing a triceps tendon avulsion must figure out if the tear is full or incomplete. To this end, watchful testing of expansion quality of the elbow is required for direction of restorative administration. The specialists recommend that a significant loss of elbow movement and triceps power mirrors a complete tear that is unrealistic to enhance with nonsurgical administration. Along these lines, any nonsurgical way to deal with administration triceps tendon avulsion ought to incorporate close follow-up.

Varieties in clinical indications and signs after inadequate or complete separations of the triceps may defer right analysis. Patients with triceps tendon avulsion may have cubital passage disorder, a snapping elbow, neckline stud–shaped olecranon bursitis, or even back compartment disorder. Related wounds incorporate spiral head-neck cracks and breaks of the wrist.

Research facility examinations are noncontributory. But, they may help in diagnosing related conditions, for example, unending renal disappointment, if such conditions are suspected.

Imaging Studies for Triceps Tendon Avulsion

Radiography remains the underlying imaging methodology of decision for assessing suspected triceps damage in triceps tendon avulsion. With respect to studies, radiography ought to be performed in all associated cases with triceps tendon separation. Of the cases reported in the writing, separated specks of bone from the olecranon were shown in roughly 83 percent. Cautious review of all radiographs is pivotal. On the off chance that vital, sideways perspectives of the elbow ought to be gotten to discount different cracks.

Lateral radiographs of the elbow are especially valuable for symptomatic affirmation.

A single avulsed bone speck present on the lateral radiograph of the elbow might be the main piece of information for right determination of triceps tendon avulsion.

Ultrasonography or attractive reverberation imaging (MRI) might be required if the conclusion is indeterminate or to affirm clinical suspicion of triceps tendon avulsion.

References:

Also Read:

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:December 9, 2020

Recent Posts

Related Posts