Long Head of the Triceps Brachii, Medial View

Description

Medial exposure of the posterior arm brings the long head of triceps brachii into full relief as it ascends proximally toward the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula. Running inferiorly and slightly lateral as it approaches the elbow, its muscle belly converges with the lateral and medial heads to form the triceps tendon. The ulnar nerve tracks posterior to the medial intermuscular septum and passes behind the medial epicondyle, close to the distal, medial border of the triceps. Clean landmarks. Because the long head crosses the shoulder as well as the elbow, this view clarifies its dual action in shoulder extension and adduction while still contributing to elbow extension, a point that gets lost when triceps is taught as a single posterior compartment muscle. The medial perspective also maps the corridor relevant to posterior and posteromedial approaches to the humerus, where dissection stays mindful of the ulnar nerve distally and the radial nerve more laterally in the spiral groove. It is also a useful reference when discussing triceps tendon injuries at the olecranon and differentiating them from posteromedial elbow pain due to ulnar neuropathy. Orthopaedic anatomy teaching, surgical atlases, and sports medicine texts use this type of medial posterior arm plate to orient readers before discussing distal humerus fixation, elbow arthroscopy portals, or rehabilitation targeting long head triceps loading. It also fits well in gross anatomy lab guides that compare medial versus lateral approaches to the arm and emphasize neurovascular relationships students often misplace on first pass. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.