Tore my right pec

[lestatgear]

I had taken two weeks off (well trained sporadically during that time) because I was sick. This past Tuesday I felt back to normal and decided to hit the gym full throttle again. I was super-setting squats and bench. Worked my way up to 365 lbs on the bench, a weight I have done many times before. Well, on the way down, even w/ my ipod on and Rob Zombie playing, I heard a ripping sound as my pec tore. Unfortunately, there was no one else around and I still had to put the weight up.

Ended up in the ER for the afternoon. They did an exam, took some x-rays, gave me some anit-inflammatory and pain medication and told me to wait a week and monitor it. If it improves, then it's a partial tear. If not, then go to an orthopedist and get an MRI. Well, it does seem to be improving, so I guess it's a partial.

My question is, has anyone else here suffered this type of injury, and if so, how long did it take to heal? Were you able to train other bodyparts, ie back, etc. w/out aggravating it? How was the comeback process?
Hopefully, the GH and AAS I am currently on will speed up the healing process.

 

[edge250]

i would get an mri. been thru this, its not fun

 

[tflexxin]

supersetting squats and bench??

 

[lestatgear]

supersetting squats and bench??

Don't ask.

 

[SVFootball]

supersetting squats and bench??

supersetting the two is pretty nuts, but i do kno that doing both on the same day is actually a very common style for athletic training...for football we do squats and bench on mondays, then friday hit front squats and incline bench...

i couldnt tell you the reasoning behind it, but its what we do.

 

[KillerStack]

They did an exam, took some x-rays, gave me some anit-inflammatory and pain medication and told me to wait a week and monitor it. If it improves, then it's a partial tear. If not, then go to an orthopedist and get an MRI. Well, it does seem to be improving, so I guess it's a partial.

Did the muscle ball up? Do you have an indentation when you flex? Has it bled much?

 

[Chim Chim]

I would proceed with a good orthopedist, ASAP. If you have tendon separation or detachment from the muscle it needs to be surgically repaired. You've heard of Bill Kazmeier? He partially tore is pec in the 1982 WSM contest. Before benched 661, after best it ever got to again was like 540. He never got it repaired. It is better to see a doc sooner than later. Because the tendon will start to atrophy after 5-6 days, then is shortens, and when reattached it will affect your end result. It could change your range of motion permanently. Another example. When Ed Coan ruptured his patella tendon in 2003 or 04. He flew back to chicago that nite, and had it reattached the next day. It also help that his brother-in-law, or something was an orthopedist. I've known a few people personally who have detached tendons. just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

 

[Michael2]

Get it looked at ASAP- I have a partial right upper pec tear- was told the injury needed to be surgically fixed within 24/ 48 hours-- back in the day when i wasnt focused on bodybuilding , I decided to wait and it was too late- it took me a good 3- 4 months before training began- and that was without AAS-

 

[muscledoc1]

Like the above comments say,and also i can say that i am an "expert" on this issue-i had a left pec torn on a decline bench 3-years ago,i had a surgery to repair it and this is what i STRONGLY STRONGLY SUGGEST:
1)GO ASAP,AND I MEAN ASAP TO AN ORTHOPAEDIC-SURGEON TO GET A STAT-MRI ORDER FROM HIM.
2)THE LONGER YOU WAIT-THE POORER THE SURGERY RESULTS IN.IF I COULD I WOULD GET THAT SURGERY WITHIN A WEEK AT THE MOST!
3)ICE,ICE AND ICE UNTIL YOU SEE THE DOCTOR.
MINE WAS TORN PRETTY DAMN BAD(ABOUT 70% AND ALSO THE TENDON WAS PARTIALLY TORN)-SO IT DOESNT GET ANY WORSE THAN WHAT I HAD,BUT NOW AFTER 3-YEARS OR SO,I CAN SAY THAT I AM ABOUT 90-95% FROM WHERE I WAS AS FAR AS STRENGTH,BUT I DID THE SURGERY 5-WEEKS AFTER I TORE IT...WAYYYYYYY TOO LONG.

 

[ironone1]

I had a similar injury a few weeks ago. I got severe swelling and black and blue in my pec and bicep. My doctor thought somebody hit me there for it to bruise the way it did. I think the chest injections I did there from before screwed me up from the pockets that build up (would never do again). The doctor said I wouldn't have the range that I had if it was torn. I iced it alot and used ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatories and the swelling came down in a couple of weeks. He thought it would take a couple of months for the swelling to come down from the way it looked. I just did light weight on the Nautilus machines for a few weeks to keep the blood flowing and my range.

I went heavy on the bench last week and strained the lateral part of my elbow now, I didn't have my sleeves on. It seems to be better now. I would just go light for high reps for awhile and ice it, give it time to heal or you will tear it for sure; I hear pec surgery sucks, and sometimes cannót even be done.

 

[Tenn-bodybuilder]

You need to see a specalist (asap) the sooner you get a MRI to acess the damage, the better. You probably need a operation and if you can do this in the next week or so you have a better chance of a good recovery. They DO NOT heal on their own and you will look deformed without surgery.Looks like your training will have to wait about 6 months while you recover and go therpy

Good luck

 

[edge250]

i actually had to wait almost 6 weeks for my operation. when i talked with the orthopedic surgeon and with the research he had done he felt the tendon atrophied within the 1st few days and from then one pretty much stopped so it didnt matter if it was a few days or few weeks if the tendon had completely ruptured. my chest is as strong as it ever was now, no outter sweep but 100% functional.

 

[jrmuscle]

oh yeah ortho

i tore my pec in a bench competition due to fast movement on bench only it was my left. even though it is seeming to be healing it isnt tendon tears do not heals alone youll need surgery go for a cadaver part it is the best surgery for this but all i had was a military doc sew it up and i still have a indent but my range of motion is fully recovered strentgh slowly rebuilding but ill never train chest on heavy weight again lol too scared to try but no oain now :}

 

[lestatgear]

Lot's of good feed back and advise. To answer some questions - yes, there is a bunching of the muscle (on the outer sweep), can't tell if there's an indentation when I flex because it's too painful to flex, and if you mean bruising by bleeding, then yes there is that.
I will get to an ortho this week and get an MRI. I'll keep you updated. Thanks for all the good advice. This board is has the best memebers.

 

[Chim Chim]

I will get to an ortho this week and get an MRI. I'll keep you updated. Thanks for all the good advice. This board is has the best memebers.

Smart move, Bro. Good luck.

 

[Pele96]

Hey I tore my right pec about two years ago. Found out about a technique called ART ( Active Release Technique). See if you can find a doctor or chiro that does that. I was able to heal and get back to normal lifting in about 6 months.

 

[Fears]

Wow, a lot of bros have had this injury and a lot of good advice here.

I tore my right pec about 15 years ago. It was a complete tear. It balled up in the center of my chest. The hemorraghing was severe. I was black and blue all down my side as well as my arm. I had the surgery to repair about a week or so later.

I do have a slight divet where the pec connects to the shoulder but it is not that noticeable unless someone is looking for it. The attachment is not as thick.

The good news is that like others have said, it is fully functional and I can bench heavy. Getting through the mental barrier of trying to bench heavy was the hardest part. I kept thinking it would rupture again.

This was all preventable as I was going for a personal max (355 at the time) and did not warm up much as I felt that would take away from my lift. That coupled with bad form of bouncing and trying to explode into the lift did indeed cause an explosion in my chest. Young and stupid.

In those days I was not really a bodybuilder, I just lifted weights to look good for the girls and for my ego to do big lifts.
Hmm, not much has changed I guess.......

 

[ironone1]

Wow, a lot of bros have had this injury and a lot of good advice here.

I tore my right pec about 15 years ago. It was a complete tear. It balled up in the center of my chest. The hemorraghing was severe. I was black and blue all down my side as well as my arm. I had the surgery to repair about a week or so later.

I do have a slight divet where the pec connects to the shoulder but it is not that noticeable unless someone is looking for it. The attachment is not as thick.

The good news is that like others have said, it is fully functional and I can bench heavy. Getting through the mental barrier of trying to bench heavy was the hardest part. I kept thinking it would rupture again.

This was all preventable as I was going for a personal max (355 at the time) and did not warm up much as I felt that would take away from my lift. That coupled with bad form of bouncing and trying to explode into the lift did indeed cause an explosion in my chest. Young and stupid.

In those days I was not really a bodybuilder, I just lifted weights to look good for the girls and for my ego to do big lifts.
Hmm, not much has changed I guess.......

Oh you did a bounce press you mean, lol. I see that alot at my gym, or guys with their backs so high up that its almost if they are squatting the weight.

 

[lestatgear]

Well - good news. Only a partial tear, less than 50%. Doc says sixs weeks of rest, it has already been almost three, and then 6 weeks of working back up very slowly and being very cautious. No surgery needed. Currently I am in Brazil for three weeks vacation (visiting the in-laws, my wife is Brazilian), so I am just going to kick back and relax and get back to the gym, training light, when we return. I think it will be some time before I even consider trying to bench heavy again - seems like the psychological aspect will be tougher to overcome than the actual physical.