Where's the Tricep again?

So over the past 2 weeks, we’ve taken a look at the 2 major flexors of the elbow joint. Can you remember them?

Yes! The Bicep Brachii and the Brachialis!

Now we know how our pets flex their elbows and therefore how they stop their front limbs from dragging as they move and how they lift their limbs over objects, I think it’s about time we looked at where the power in the forelimbs comes from.

Today we’re going to be looking at the Tricep Brachii muscle (as shown in the video).

So the Tricep is the main antigravity muscle of the forelimb, this means that its responsible for keeping our pets upright and keeping their forelimb underneath them.

In the dog the Tricep has 4 heads unlike in humans and horse's where it only has 3 heads!!

In the dog the tricep is made up of:

1. Long head from the caudal margin of the scapula to the olecranon and it not only extends the elbow but also flexes the shoulder

2. Lateral head from the proximolateral humerus to the humerus and it extends the elbow

3. Medial head from the medial humerus to the olecranon and extends the elbow

4. Accessory head from the caudal neck of the humerus to the olecranon and extends the elbow

In the horse the tricep is made up of:

1. Long head from the caudal scapula to the olecranon which flexes the shoulder and extends the elbow

2. Medial head from the medial humerus to the olecranon and extends the elbow

3. Lateral head from the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus to the olecranon and extends the elbow

The Tricep brachii extends the elbow increasing your pets power and stride length making them travel more efficiently. Any exercises that extend the elbow is working your pets tricep a few of my favourites are down to stands in the dog and cavaletti in the horse. Want to know more?

Joint our canine conditioning and equine conditioning webinars!!