Preventing Biceps and Triceps Pulls and Strains

Suffering from a biceps or triceps tear is a reminder of how much your health is worth. It’s always easier to take things for granted when there are no issues, but if you’ve been dealing with an injury for even a few days, it can be a real disruption.

Some key principles to follow to assist in full recovery and prevent future muscle pulls.

  • Try not to compensate for pain or weakness in one muscle group by overusing muscles in other areas. Biceps and triceps are opposing muscle groups, and keeping each group in balance with the other is important. If you biceps are capable of much more than your triceps, or vice versa, you may put yourself in an injury prone position.
  • Don’t favor strength over flexibility, or vice versa. If you are strong by tight, you up your chances of pulling a muscle. If you are flexible, but lack strength, you are no better off. The best way to maintain a good, healthy condition is to keep strength and flexibility balanced.
  • If you do not regularly tax your biceps or triceps muscles in your normal exercise routine or sport, incorporate exercises into your strength training routine that seek to strengthen and stretch these important muscles.
  • Warm up properly. Like all your muscles, your biceps and triceps are more flexible when they are warmed up, so be sure to break a light sweat before going full steam.
  • During strength training make sure you start your workout with lighter weights and smaller repetitions to prepare the muscles for the activity ahead.
  • Be sure to learn the proper techniques for your sport or exercise of choice. When you know how to perform the movements correctly – particularly which muscle groups to use effectively – not only will your enjoyment and skill level improve, but your chance for injury will dramatically decrease.
  • Stretch after your body is warmed up. Often athletes stretch before hand. It’s okay to lightly stretch to “wake up” your muscles and joints, but trying to stretch for flexibility while you are cold is not good practice. It’s much more effective for you to stretch after you have broken a full sweat. Your muscles are more elastic and receptive.

Further Reading

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For some general prevention information, check out our muscle pull prevention article.

 

Related Bicep Articles:
Strained Biceps & Triceps
Torn Biceps, Triceps – Causes & Symptoms
Pulled Bicep or Triceps Muscle – Severity
Pulled Bicep or Triceps – Treatment