When shoulder pain insists, many of my clients often turn their focus to strengthening the rotator cuff or improving thoracic mobility. However, there’s an often overlooked muscle whose function may be the cause especially if the pain persists when the arms goes overhead.

Usually my clients see the triceps as a “beach” muscle or the muscle to prevent jiggly arms. It has a very important function with how it relates to the function of the shoulder.

The triceps attach on the scapula and shoulder and at the posterior elbow. In particular the long head of the triceps has a big key role in shoulder stabilization. Because of where it attaches to the scapula if the long head of the triceps is weak it could lead to less than ideal positioning of the scapula, which then can lead to pain. You know the drill… when a key muscle is weak it causes compensation from other muscles in the area causing a chain reaction of pain and improper movement.

Below are two of my favorite exercises to strengthen the long head of the triceps.