Tendon of the Triceps Under the Skin, Posterior View

Description

Superficial to deep, the posterior shoulder and arm are organized around the triceps brachii as it narrows distally into a dense, sheet-like tendon just deep to the dermis and superficial fascia. Proximally, the posterior deltoid caps the glenohumeral region, with trapezius ascending superomedially toward the cervical region, while infraspinatus occupies the posterior scapular fossa deep to the deltoid. Along the brachium, the long head of triceps runs medial and posterior, flanked laterally by the lateral head, then converges inferiorly toward the olecranon process of the ulna. The distal connective tissue is the landmark. That distal triceps tendon is the structure tested in elbow extension strength and in the classic triceps reflex, and it is also where partial or complete triceps tendon rupture presents with posterior elbow pain, swelling, and loss of terminal extension after a fall on an outstretched hand or sudden eccentric loading. Posterior elbow surgery and trauma assessment rely on knowing what lies adjacent: the ulnar nerve courses posteromedial to the medial epicondyle, and the olecranon bursa overlies the tendon insertion and can mimic tendon pathology when inflamed. Clinically, this posterior perspective helps separate tendon insertion problems at the olecranon from proximal muscle belly injuries or rotator cuff pain referred to the posterior shoulder. Use this artwork for gross anatomy lab guides on the posterior arm, sports medicine teaching on extensor mechanism injuries, operative atlases describing posterior elbow approaches, and patient education on triceps tendon repair and olecranon bursitis. It also reads cleanly in publications discussing surface anatomy and palpation landmarks for the posterior brachium and elbow. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.