Triceps brachii — Anatomy Notes, Diagram & Quiz

The Triceps brachii is located in the upper arm. Extends elbow and adducts shoulder. The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial.

Triceps brachii highlighted in a 3D model of the human body
Triceps brachii highlighted in the 3D body atlas. 3D atlas: BodyParts3D (DBCLS, CC BY-SA 2.1 Japan); Écorché/Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0). Rendered in anotemy.

Key facts

Triceps brachii at a glance
LocationUpper arm
Main functionExtends elbow and adducts shoulder.
Layersuperficial muscles
Key fact 1The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial.
Key fact 2The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna.
Key fact 3The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

Where is the Triceps brachii located?

The Triceps brachii is located in the upper arm.

The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial.

What does the Triceps brachii do?

Extends elbow and adducts shoulder.

The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna.

What to know for exams

  • The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial.
  • The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna.
  • The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

It belongs to the superficial muscles layer. Learn its location, relations, and the structures it works with.

Clinical relevance

The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

Link the triceps brachii to its blood supply, innervation and relations. That is how exam questions usually test it.

Memory aid: Triceps brachii

The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial. The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna. The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

Chain it as location → function → clinical link when you revise.

Triceps brachii anatomy quiz

Five questions. Open each answer after you commit to a response.

  1. Where is the Triceps brachii located?

    Reveal answer

    Upper arm

  2. What is the main function of the Triceps brachii?

    Reveal answer

    Extends elbow and adducts shoulder.

  3. Give one key fact about the Triceps brachii.

    Reveal answer

    The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial.

  4. Give another key fact about the Triceps brachii.

    Reveal answer

    The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna.

  5. What clinical link is associated with the Triceps brachii?

    Reveal answer

    The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

Common questions

Where is the Triceps brachii located?

The Triceps brachii is located in the upper arm. The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial.

What does the Triceps brachii do?

Extends elbow and adducts shoulder. The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna.

What is a key fact about the Triceps brachii?

The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

What layer does the Triceps brachii belong to?

It belongs to the superficial muscles layer of the body.

What should I remember for exams?

The Triceps brachii has three heads: long, lateral, and medial. The Triceps brachii inserts into the olecranon of the ulna. The Triceps brachii is innervated by the radial nerve.

Sources

  1. Standring, S. (ed.). Gray’s Anatomy, 42nd edition. Elsevier, 2020.
  2. TeachMeAnatomy — anatomy library
  3. Kenhub — anatomy library
  4. StatPearls / NCBI Bookshelf — Triceps brachii search

3D atlas and image credits

Anatomy models: BodyParts3D, © Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS), CC BY-SA 2.1 Japan. Écorché by Charleeh, derived from BodyParts3D and Z-Anatomy, CC BY-SA 4.0. Rendered in anotemy. Changes: highlighting, framing, labels and background removal. Images: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The 3D models are third-party assets under Creative Commons share-alike licences. They keep those licences; the page text is separate. If you reuse an image, keep the attribution and the share-alike licence.