do I have the beginnings of a pec tear?

[particleacc]

I have been pushing my body hard for the past 5 months or so now due to taking nearly a year off from lifting. I had a bad back injury, which I am still dealing with. I have been lifting since I was 15, competed in powerlifting briefly in my early 20s, (I am 35 now) and almost always been a big guy when training consistently. However, my chest, specifically benching, has always been my weakest.

I can always get my pecs to look big, full and very strong, but only have a max bench around 315. Since I weigh 290 now, that's not that great. Any way, I was warming up on the bench at my last chest workout, which was about 6 days ago. I hit 135 for 12 reps, 185 for 10, then put 225 on the bar, which I was going to get 10 reps out of. The first 2 reps went easily up and smooth. On the third rep, I felt just the top of my left shoulder, where the pec ties in have a quick, sharp pain. In that instant, I felt what I can only describe as a rubber band snapping across my upper left pec (not the whole pec) and felt the snap go into where my upper pec ties into the sternum.

I immediately racked the bar. I was VERY scared that I had just torn the pec. However, I still had full range of motion and just a little sharp pain in the shoulder area where the pec ties in. Remembering when my brother tore his pec, I gave up on my workout for the day and just went home, still very worried. I had slight sharp pain in the area for a just about an hour, but nothing permanent. Upon stretching the left arm back, I could still feel that slight sharp pain for the next few days.

Today I went to work out my chest again. I decided to use machines this time to ease my chest into the workout and for a little more safety. I used the decline chest press. Immediately as I started warming up, I felt the pain (again, not intense or all that bad, but sharp) in my left pec/shoulder area. I used low weights and slow motion, but the pain started to build as I added more weight, still staying well below where I would really be straining. The pain is right underneath the front delt and spreads about 3 inches down into the pec.

OK, now, my question is, do I have the beginnings of a pec tear and what can be done if that's the case? As I said, I have been BLASTING my body very hard every single workout for about 5 months and have had amazing results getting very strong and putting on a ton of muscle. My chiropractor told me to stop doing leg presses because the disk in my back that was the problem in the first place was compressed and bulging. (I was in a ton of pain from this and still have daily pain, but switched over to just leg extensions for now.)

Any input, guys?

 

[pesty4077]

I have been pushing my body hard for the past 5 months or so now due to taking nearly a year off from lifting. I had a bad back injury, which I am still dealing with. I have been lifting since I was 15, competed in powerlifting briefly in my early 20s, (I am 35 now) and almost always been a big guy when training consistently. However, my chest, specifically benching, has always been my weakest.

I can always get my pecs to look big, full and very strong, but only have a max bench around 315. Since I weigh 290 now, that's not that great. Any way, I was warming up on the bench at my last chest workout, which was about 6 days ago. I hit 135 for 12 reps, 185 for 10, then put 225 on the bar, which I was going to get 10 reps out of. The first 2 reps went easily up and smooth. On the third rep, I felt just the top of my left shoulder, where the pec ties in have a quick, sharp pain. In that instant, I felt what I can only describe as a rubber band snapping across my upper left pec (not the whole pec) and felt the snap go into where my upper pec ties into the sternum.

I immediately racked the bar. I was VERY scared that I had just torn the pec. However, I still had full range of motion and just a little sharp pain in the shoulder area where the pec ties in. Remembering when my brother tore his pec, I gave up on my workout for the day and just went home, still very worried. I had slight sharp pain in the area for a just about an hour, but nothing permanent. Upon stretching the left arm back, I could still feel that slight sharp pain for the next few days.

Today I went to work out my chest again. I decided to use machines this time to ease my chest into the workout and for a little more safety. I used the decline chest press. Immediately as I started warming up, I felt the pain (again, not intense or all that bad, but sharp) in my left pec/shoulder area. I used low weights and slow motion, but the pain started to build as I added more weight, still staying well below where I would really be straining. The pain is right underneath the front delt and spreads about 3 inches down into the pec.

OK, now, my question is, do I have the beginnings of a pec tear and what can be done if that's the case? As I said, I have been BLASTING my body very hard every single workout for about 5 months and have had amazing results getting very strong and putting on a ton of muscle. My chiropractor told me to stop doing leg presses because the disk in my back that was the problem in the first place was compressed and bulging. (I was in a ton of pain from this and still have daily pain, but switched over to just leg extensions for now.)

Any input, guys?

Yea,

Why would you ask guys on an internet for medical advice on a possible pec tear? Do yourself a favor and go to a doctor.

 

[edge250]

Yea,

Why would you ask guys on an internet for medical advice on a possible pec tear? Do yourself a favor and go to a doctor.

maybe because some of us have experience with it. sounds like your tendon and not necessarily the muscle. but like pesty says go to the doctor and for god sakes quit training the area to you know for sure. was there any bruising??? if there was that was from the muscle tear. my advice no more flat benching.........ever. trust me surgery and rehad is very f'n painful and i dont wish that upon anyone, coming off of vicodin and oxycotin was no fun either.

 

[particleacc]

Yea,

Why would you ask guys on an internet for medical advice on a possible pec tear? Do yourself a favor and go to a doctor.

UH... a few reasons...
#1 This is a discussion forum on bodybuilding, correct? In my experience, I have noticed that most bodybuilders lift weights. Some of the people who lift weights get injured doing so, so I was assuming someone on this forum might have some experience with this issue and could possibly point out any similarities they had with a similar injury and how to treat/prevent/ or look into further.

#2 A couple of posts right below me was a post titled "Benching and Pec Tears: A Training Tip". This led me to believe yet again that some people reading and/or contributing to this board might have some experience with this issue.

#3 I do not have any health insurance. Immediately going to a doctor for a visit and/or diagnostic testing for a non-life-threatening issue is a luxury item I cannot afford right now, especially when this is a SUSPECTED POSSIBLE injury that has not resulted in any swelling, loss of range of motion, or obvious bruising.

I e-mailed my brother too, asking him. He's not a doctor. Just some powerlifter who tore his pec years ago.

I hope this didn't come across as too sarcastic, but I would have thought the reason for asking a question like this on this board would be obvious. Does anyone with experience with this issue have any input?

 

[intensed]

Tear

Most of the time if you have a serious tear you will have bruising. I tore my Pectoral major completely on my left side. Within hours I had bruising over my whole arm and chest. Most guys don't come back from a tear of this magnitude. Tendons do not regrow to the bone after they have been torn completely. The surgery took 4 1/2 hours. The recovery was a very long road as most injuries are. Took 6 months to be able to bench the bar. When I think back I didn't have any warning signs, mainly some soreness in the armpit area where the pec ties in. You know your body the best, if you feel something is out of the norm and you have medical insurance I suggest seeing a doctor and get a MRI. Injury is one thing, but even more is to overcome the fear of it happening again. We push our bodies to the extreme and injuries are a realty of the sport. I'm not aware of many top competitors that havnt gone through a major injury. I think what sets the pros apart is two fold 1.) Less Injury Prone and 2.)The drive to keep going.

 

[upeccmi]

I have done this same thing many times. I am 42, been seriously lifting for 28 years. I first did this when I was about 23, just came off of a BB show and feeling strong, it healed fast, the last time I seriously injured it I was around 30, Inclining sets of 8 with 465, my second set, paused at the bottom and heard and felt it. That one took about 1 1/2 months to heal (couldn't do anything upper body). I decided at that time to stop doing free weights for my chest, I now do mostly Hammer Strenght inclines and flats and occasionally smith machine with machine flyes. I figured I will be done with bodybuilding if I completely tear my pec so I also lightened up and now do sets of 10-12, my pecs look full and I don't worry much now.....sucks getting older but the tendons do weaken as we age. Listen to your body!

 

[animal eater]

Had a similar experience a few months ago. Was going after pb of 420( got it) but as I was accelerating felt sharp pain in the insertion of pec major and pec minor. Fortunately there was no bruising but area was tender for a few weeks. After working with a sports physio I learned that these problems can generally be overcome by increasing flexibility through chest/scapula and to work harder on 1 arm rows as its the polar opposite of bench press to bring up stabalizers.

Naturally make sure that you are warm and give that area a few good weeks of rest and then come back slowely. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ddude]

Sounds like what happened to me.

Is there any bruising? Also I noticed a hard lump where the torn muscle contracted to. I still have the lump of scar tissue in my pec. For me I had to tear where the muscle starts connecting with the tendon. Not the tendon to the bone. Did some igf mediately for 4 weeks post injury. Found it VERY helpful. For me I could feel mypec and feel the tear and the balled up tissue.

Either way. Unless it's a very nearly or complete tear most surgeons won't risk opening you up.

My last suggestion. Upload some pics. Take one with your arms above your head, one with arm on the injured side held horizontally like you do with lateral raises. Chances are I'd bet you could see a tear with those pics. If you can't see a tear then it's likely very very minor. If it is minor do lots of rest that's about all you can do without paying for deep tissue massage or getting ultrasonic on the scar tissue.

All in all. REST!!!

 

[particleacc]

I do sincerely thank those of you who have added their experiences and advice. I have been scrutinizing the pec tendon areas for any sort of bruising, but honestly don't see any. However, I have noticed that even when resting my arms down, I can feel a slight sharp pain right in the areas, which oddly enough, is in the right side now as well.

Last night, I crawled into bed and got a very sharp pain in the pec tendon areas as I crawled in on my hands and knees.

I will absolutely take the advice on rest. I hate interrupting a good growth phase, but certainly do not want to tear something and do far worse damage. My brother advised doing bench workouts with only the bar to prevent the buildup of any scar tissue, which he had to deal with after his tear.

Any way, thanks again for the input, guys.