Triceps tear from lifting weights may require surgery for full recovery

Q. I was lifting in the gym last week and felt a pop on the outside of my left elbow. I had severe pain and noted a deformity in the muscle.

My doctor sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who told me I tore my triceps tendon off the bone and I needed surgery to fix it. Is this the right treatment, are there any alternative treatments, and how long until I recover?

A. The triceps is a muscle that originates on the back part of your arm and coalesces to form a broad tendon that attaches to the back part of your elbow. The triceps allows you to extend your arm against gravity and is crucial to activities of daily living, working out in the gym, and sports.

If enough of the tendon is torn and retracted from the bone, surgery is necessary to restore good strength and function. The orthopedic surgeon during surgery retrieves the triceps tendon and reattaches it to the olecranon (elbow bone).

After surgery, it is usually necessary to wear a brace for four to six weeks. Physical therapy is necessary to restore range of motion and strength. Most athletes take at least four to six months to return to sports.

Dr. Harlan Selesnick is team physician of the Miami Heat. Send your questions to hselesnick@gmail.com