Improve Triceps Soreness With SMR Techniques

Photo Courtesy: Dr. John Mullen, DPT

By Dr. G. John Mullen, DPT, CSCS

Many swimmers experience triceps soreness as they return to training. Soreness is an appropriate response to a new training stimuli, suggesting muscle breakdown. Unfortunately, soreness can greatly impair training and stroke biomechanics, increasing one’s risk of injury.

Self myofascial releases (SMR, see Mobility for Swimmers for more SMR techniques) can reduce soreness and early research suggests SMR doesn’t impair force production like static stretching (MacDonald 2012). See past Swimming World articles for more information on SMR:

Improve Triceps Soreness with the Triceps SMR

For beginners, take a baseball or tennis ball and place it against a wall. Next, lean your triceps into the wall while facing away from the wall. You may want to stabilize the ball with your hand, to avoid the ball from popping out.

If this method isn’t effective, consider setting up a heavy bar on a rack, approximately chest height. Next, place your triceps on top of the bar and roll your arm slowly over the bar.

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Henrique Luís Seabra

8 years ago

Thanks for all the important explanations and treatment works You gave.
Meanwhile can I ask to You to talk about elbo injuries (Golfist type on the inside )

Thanks in advance
Henrique

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G. John Mullen

8 years ago

Reply to Henrique Luís Seabra

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll see what I can do!