Reoccuring Pec Problem

[st114]

The past two years or so, I've been getting minor reoccuring pec strains after months of pressing heavy. Always with weights I could handle, and it would just come on randomly. I would get a sharp pain right above the armpit where the pec and the delt meet, but purely in the pec. Eventually it would go away and I could resume pressing for 3-6 months until it randomly came back.
Recently I had it in both pecs, from incline dumbbell benching in the 12 rep range, started feeling it about rep 8. This was in October, and it doesn't seem like it's going away. For the first few weeks it was the sharp pain when flexed, but now there's no pain, and the area has a strange cramping feeling for a couple seconds whenever it's flexed, or I do motions like open doors and whatnot. Still training everything else, but I've taken it easy on chest. Has anyone ever heard or had any experience with this kind of problem? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[xxxLGxxx]

Having a similar issue in my left pec. I started stretching it more after my workouts on the cable pulleys as if I am going to do crossovers but instead just leaning forward and letting the weight of the cables stretch my arms.... I notice it less after these.


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[ROCKHARD09]

The past two years or so, I've been getting minor reoccuring pec strains after months of pressing heavy. Always with weights I could handle, and it would just come on randomly. I would get a sharp pain right above the armpit where the pec and the delt meet, but purely in the pec. Eventually it would go away and I could resume pressing for 3-6 months until it randomly came back.
Recently I had it in both pecs, from incline dumbbell benching in the 12 rep range, started feeling it about rep 8. This was in October, and it doesn't seem like it's going away. For the first few weeks it was the sharp pain when flexed, but now there's no pain, and the area has a strange cramping feeling for a couple seconds whenever it's flexed, or I do motions like open doors and whatnot. Still training everything else, but I've taken it easy on chest. Has anyone ever heard or had any experience with this kind of problem? Any help would be appreciated.

My man, are you incline db pressing high or low? Also are you benching prior? From my experience from partially ripping pec major off the bone, the symptoms you are having occured several times in weeks leading to my injury. Then one day I was building up for some heavy sets and I felt what I could describe as the sensation of velcro pulling apart as I brought down my 3rd of 5 reps on 405........avoid this at all cost, your pec will never quite be the same if you get in that situation.

 

[st114]

Having a similar issue in my left pec. I started stretching it more after my workouts on the cable pulleys as if I am going to do crossovers but instead just leaning forward and letting the weight of the cables stretch my arms.... I notice it less after these.


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I'll have to try this out, thank you

My man, are you incline db pressing high or low? Also are you benching prior? From my experience from partially ripping pec major off the bone, the symptoms you are having occured several times in weeks leading to my injury. Then one day I was building up for some heavy sets and I felt what I could describe as the sensation of velcro pulling apart as I brought down my 3rd of 5 reps on 405........avoid this at all cost, your pec will never quite be the same if you get in that situation.

That's what I'm afraid of (a full tear).
Usually I start off with flat bench, and this is where most of the minor strains happen. Usually over a period of a couple weeks as I up the weights in a progressive overload type fashion. One time I injured it from Incline smith pressing (perfect form) when I tried DC training, and the most recent time, with the incline dumbbells, I did that exercise first, at a fairly high incline angle

 

[TrinityD]

Stop all kind of barbell and smith pressing for now.
Use 30* Incline DB Bench as your chest press movement.

Let us know how that goes...

 

[xxxLGxxx]

I don't do any flat bb pressing. Only slight inline and decline as well as with dbs. I tore my right pec minor tendon back in 2007 on flat bb bench.

 

[method2madness]

Chest is a stand out bodypart for me and i have not done flat barbell press regularly for almost 15 years; mainly flat and incline dumbbell and I have been fortunate enough to grow my pecs significantly with no injury. I suggest giving those two movements a try exclusively for a specific period of time as well as getting some deep tissue and or MFR (myo-facial release).

 

[st114]

Stop all kind of barbell and smith pressing for now.
Use 30* Incline DB Bench as your chest press movement.

Let us know how that goes...

I think I will stick to this exercise and ditch barbell pressing
Although after training shoulders this week it's gotten worse, so I'm going to wait a bit until I try this out. Might have to stop pressing for shoulders and stick to laterals for a while

 

[Chode Logan]

Same thing happened to me...every 3-4 months. Always happened on incline movements so I switched to flat bench and flat flyes, dips/decline etc etc and no more problems

 

[Zomb131]

Sounds like the lateral part of the pec major. That part of the pec major, near the insertion site, takes A LOT of stress and typically has a lot of built up adhesions. If you can, get some graston/ART/ultra sound to break up the scar tissue and get blood into the area.

 

[Reno911]

Sounds like the lateral part of the pec major. That part of the pec major, near the insertion site, takes A LOT of stress and typically has a lot of built up adhesions. If you can, get some graston/ART/ultra sound to break up the scar tissue and get blood into the area.

^^^^^ Agree. I have had very good success with ART. Yes, it's very aggressive and the sessions do suck but well worth it.

Make sure to use a CERTIFIED provider. Here's the link: Active Release Techniques: A.R.T.