Triceps Tendon Injuries

Abstract

Triceps tendon injuries are an uncommon clinical entity poorly described in the literature. This review discusses the spectrum of pathology, effective diagnosis, nonsurgical treatment, surgical treatment, rehabilitation, and surgical complications of triceps tendon injuries. Management of triceps tendinopathies depends on the mechanism of injury and the patient's motor examination. Triceps tendinopathies and partial tendon tears with intact strength can be managed conservatively with rest, ice, immobilization, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy. If conservative management fails for 6 months or there are strength deficits on examination, surgery should be considered. Based on the current evidence, there are no clear guidelines for “best” surgical approach. Although rare, the most significant surgical complication to be concerned about is rerupture. Rerupture rate is 4.62% among the articles we reviewed.