Injured Chest

[Ryus]

Hi.

July last year i was training chest, flat barbell bench, my first set after thorugh warm up. I had done nine reps on 240 pounds when something went wrong in my left pec on the tenth. I racked the bar and felt on the muscle, tried to stretch and inspected the injury. It didnt hurt alot, but the muscle was alot harder than the right, did the next two sets with very light weights and the muscle just tensed up even more.
Later that day i was reaching for something above headlevel, when it suddenly felt like i was having a heart attack because of the strain in the muscle, not pleasant.
But there were no discolouration or anythin, so i didnt see a doctor.

Rested for about a month, stretched it a little bit, then tried to train again, still tense as hell and a feeling of the muscle contracting all the time. Felt on the muscles later that day, and it felt like the muscle was flexing max all the time, and it was swollen.I then got sick with mononucleosis for five months, no eating or training, and the tenseness dissapeared a bit. Lost 30 pounds of weight, so when i tried to start back up about a month ago, i of course started real easy, did three light sets, and the tenseness came back. Once again got sick and had fever for two weeks, so did no training except trying to stretch the muscle with "relax into stretch" methods by Pavel Tsatsouline.

Started up again after the last backlaps last week, still havent trained chest, but it even tenses alot after shoulder or back training. Can feel the muscle being tight all the time. Went to the doc today, that uinterested and arrogant person told me with sheer ignorance that nothing could be done, and no muscles could be reattached, so no help there. Got an recommondation to go a physio therapist, but i dont have alot of belief in them based on previous experience.
I have been thinking all the while since it happened that this was just a strain, but shouldnt it start to dissapear after 7-8 months of little or no training plus with the stretches? It has even changed shape, so its bigger than the other one.
Have any of you experienced this, or do you have any tips or clues to what can be done?

-Ryus

 

[gorgeousfrankenstein]

Had a similar injury, same spot. Felt like I was having angina for months afterward and to this day my sternum makes a cracking noise when I begin benching.

You're right to stretch, but also a deep tissue massage will help. It's painfull, but I've had it done and it does get easier after a few sessions. The massage will help to break up any adhesions and does alot to get you back the range of motion.

 

[tatteredxangelx]

get an mri ... duh!

 

[Ryus]

get an mri ... duh!

Always thought that an partial rupture or total rupture would leave big and visible marks, so i have just assumed that it was a strain. Shouldnt it leave marks like that?

 

[Ryus]

Had a similar injury, same spot. Felt like I was having angina for months afterward and to this day my sternum makes a cracking noise when I begin benching.

You're right to stretch, but also a deep tissue massage will help. It's painfull, but I've had it done and it does get easier after a few sessions. The massage will help to break up any adhesions and does alot to get you back the range of motion.

Thats the same feeling i have, feels like your heart isnt doing very well, not a pleasant feeling.

My girlfriend has massaged me with force there a couple of times, hurt like hell. Started going to a massage therapist for a fucked up back, and shoulders yesterday, she also massaged the chest too. Will go there once a week to try to get it fixed.
Did your chest stay tensed up all the time? How long were you stretching and massaging it before it started to get back to normal?

Thanks for your reply man

 

[gorgeousfrankenstein]

No problem.
Well, I went for eight sessions with the therapist, but really by the fourth or fifth session I was doing fine. But they have got to really get in there and massage that tissue HARD.
The muscle now has normal range of motion and that pain went away, no signs whatsoever, but I've got to keep stretching, good luck man.

 

[Ryus]

No problem.
Well, I went for eight sessions with the therapist, but really by the fourth or fifth session I was doing fine. But they have got to really get in there and massage that tissue HARD.
The muscle now has normal range of motion and that pain went away, no signs whatsoever, but I've got to keep stretching, good luck man.

Well now im relieved. I was starting to think that the only solution was to get an operation or something. Were your pec different shape on the different sides? The injured pec is bigger and more tensed, than the good one, and it seem to be a little deformed.

Which kinda therapist did you go to?

 

[Ryus]

No problem.
Well, I went for eight sessions with the therapist, but really by the fourth or fifth session I was doing fine. But they have got to really get in there and massage that tissue HARD.
The muscle now has normal range of motion and that pain went away, no signs whatsoever, but I've got to keep stretching, good luck man.

Well now im relieved. I was starting to think that the only solution was to get an operation or something. Were your pec different shape on the different sides? The injured pec is bigger and more tensed, than the good one, and it seem to be a little deformed.

Which kinda therapist did you go to?

 

[Ryus]

No problem.
Well, I went for eight sessions with the therapist, but really by the fourth or fifth session I was doing fine. But they have got to really get in there and massage that tissue HARD.
The muscle now has normal range of motion and that pain went away, no signs whatsoever, but I've got to keep stretching, good luck man.

Well now im relieved. I was starting to think that the only solution was to get an operation or something. Were your pec different shape on the different sides? The injured pec is bigger and more tensed, than the good one, and it seem to be a little deformed.

Which kinda therapist did you go to?