Musculo-articular modelling of the triceps brachii

With the aim of proposing modelling equations for the length, force and shortening velocity of the triceps brachii, an X-ray and biomechanical study was carried out on the elbow joint. Two series of three upper right limbs removed from cadavers were used. It allowed us to situate the articular rotational axis of the elbow and to modelise the lever arm of the muscle group of the elbow extensors. Eight superimposed X-ray films with opaque markers at different articular angles show that the rotational axis of the elbow is different from the epitrochlea-epicondyle axis, commonly localised by palpation and used as such in functional and biomechanical explorations. This rotational axis of the elbow, situated in the trochlea, is fixed at the centre of the articular range and moves noticeably to both extremities of this range. Biomechanical study, based on measurement of internal and external torques established using an overload, allowed us to modelize the lever arm of the triceps brachii between 0 and 2.44 radians, according to length of the ulna. The applications concerning length, force and shortening velocity of the triceps brachii are described. This method of modelling is applicable to other joints and muscle groups.