Where it is
The back of the upper arm, from the shoulder blade and humerus to the point of the elbow.
- Layer
- Muscles
- System
- Muscles
- Region
- Forelimb
What it is and what it does
The strongest muscle of the forelimb. The long head arises from the caudal border of the scapula, the other heads from the humerus (in the dog there are four, although the name says “three”); all insert on the olecranon, the point of the elbow. It extends the elbow at every stride; the long head also flexes the shoulder.
Worth remembering
It extends the elbow at every stride; in the dog it has four heads, although the name says “three”.
Names
- Latin term: musculus triceps brachii.
- In Romanian: Tricepsul brahial (Romanian page).
In the atlas lessons
Muscles: what moves what (5 min):
The triceps extends the elbow at every step and is the most powerful muscle of the forelimb; the biceps, with a single head in the dog, flexes the elbow.
Questions from the atlas
"Find it on the drawing" questions whose answer is this structure; in the atlas you will find them in the question bank and in the lessons.