Physical Therapy Treatment for Pectoralis Tear.
- Exercise. Exercise for your pec tear should be your main treatment in physical therapy. Why? Because exercise helps you regain range of motion, ...
- Scar Tissue Massage.
- Heat. Your physical therapist may apply heat to your upper arm and shoulder during your pectoralis major rehab. Heat is used to increase local ...
- Ice. Ice is often used at the end of physical therapy to help decrease pain and inflammation around your shoulder and pec. Ice decreases local blood ...
- Ultrasound.
- Range of motion. Range of motion exercises help to improve the way your shoulder moves. ...
- Strengthening exercises. Strengthening exercises may be done to help improve the way your shoulder and pectoralis muscles work. ...
- Endurance exercises. ...
- Plyometrics.
What you should know to help avoid a pec tear?
Sep 17, 2016 · In type 2 torn pectoral the tear occurred where the muscle starts transitioning into a tendon – the muscle-tendon junction- harder to fix, but still possible. In type 3 pec ruptures, the tear is completely within the muscle itself. May not be repairable. In type 4 pec ruptures, the muscle tears off of the sternum. A Type 1 or Type 2 pec tear ...
How to avoid tearing a PEC?
Jan 06, 2020 · Exercise. Warm up. Before you begin any stretching or strengthening exercises, first apply a hot pack to the injured area for 10 to 15 minutes. This will get ... Begin range of motion. Begin slowly moving your injured arm through a wider and wider range of motion. If pain level permits, continue ...
Do I have a minor pec tear?
Does a torn pec muscle require surgery?
Can a pec tear heal on its own?
In most cases, a torn pectoral will not heal on its own. Our team will need to perform surgery to reattach the muscle so that you can begin your road to recovery. The operation will involve sewing the muscle back into place on your upper arm.Nov 20, 2021
How long does a pec tear take to heal?
How long should recovery take for torn pec muscle? Generally, low-grade tears take 4-6 weeks to recover while high-grade tears can take 3-4 months. Remember, recovery time is not only determined by the grade of injury but how quickly you heal after surgery.Mar 13, 2022
How do you train chest after pec tear?
Wrist weights, light dumbbells and low tensioned exercise bands are generally used for shoulder flexion exercises to slowly improve the strength of your pectoral muscles after a tear. Perform three sets of 15 repetitions of strengthening exercises. Slowly increase the resistance depending on your rate of progress.
How do you treat a torn pec tear?
In isolated pectoralis minor tendon tears, however, a conservative treatment approach is typically recommended. Recommend rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication for the first two to four weeks following the injury. The athlete may use an arm sling to increase comfort, but complete immobilization isn't necessary.
What does a pec tear feel like?
When the pectoralis muscle ruptures, you will have sudden severe pain and a tearing sensation in the chest. You may also have pain in the upper arm, weakness, bruising, and a dimpling, or pocket formation above the arm pit.
What does a partial pec tear feel like?
The first sensation you feel when the pectoralis major muscle is torn is sudden pain felt in the chest or more commonly, at the front of the armpit. See figure 2 for the most common pain locations. At the same time you may have a sensation of something tearing.
Can you lift weights after a pec tear?
In general, it is usually safe to return to limited weight training at three months following tendon repair. Before embarking on a weight-training program, you should have full range of shoulder motion and normal strength in the rotator cuff and scapular muscles.Oct 14, 2009
Can you workout with strained pec?
You should avoid strenuous exercise, like heavy lifting, while you're in recovery. As your pain lessens, you may slowly return to your previous sports and activities. Pay attention to any discomfort or other symptoms you experience and rest when necessary. Your recovery time depends on the severity of your strain.
Should you stretch a pec strain?
Pec major stretches – should not stretch to the point of pain (only to comfortable stretch feeling). Begin strengthening exercises at the shoulder and chest (isometric initially – should be pain free).
How painful is a pectoral tear?
Typically, a torn pectoralis very painful. There can be severe bruising in the chest, shoulder, and arm. There may be a gap in the muscle tissue visible with a pectoral tear. Using or lifting the arm on the side of the torn pectoral would likely be painful and weak.
The First 24-48 Hours: Rest!
While it can be really tempting to immediately start your foam rolling, lacrosse-ball smashing, stretching and even resistance training, I try my absolute best to first give my injured area a little time to rest. In the long run, I know I’ll be healthier and stronger for it.
Weeks 1-2: Return to Pain-Free Movement
Too much rest probably isn’t much better than too little. At some point, I know my body won’t feel any more “healed,” even after a lot of rest. This is my signal that it’s time to get back in the gym.
Weeks 2-6: Return to Pre-Injury Strength
Once I’ve got a full pain-free range of motion, I know it’s time to get under the bar again, and return to regular training. This is where most people screw up: they think they’re completely healed, they throw too much weight on the bar too quickly, and they end up right back where they started.
How to get back from a PEC tear?
There are several exercises you can do to help get back from a pec tear. A chest muscle tear or pec tear can potentially limit not only your workouts and sporting activities, but also your capacity to perform everyday activities. The good news is, exercises can help.
How to heal a torn pectoral muscle?
Once the pain and swelling of your injury have been significantly reduced, begin exercises for torn pectoral muscles under the guidance your physical therapist.
How to strengthen pectoral muscles after shoulder surgery?
Wrist weights, light dumbbells and low tensioned exercise bands are generally used for shoulder flexion exercises to slowly improve the strength of your pectoral muscles after a tear. Perform three sets of 15 repetitions of strengthening exercises. Slowly increase the resistance depending on your rate of progress.
How to reduce swelling in PECs?
Place a cold pack over your pecs after each rehab session of exercises to reduce swelling and inflammation that may result from your routine. Keep the ice pack on the area for 15 minutes. Advertisement.
How to stretch a chest muscle?
To perform a passive chest muscle strain stretch, simply lie flat on your back; then raise the arm with the injured muscle above your head so it is in a straight line with your body. For an active stretch, stand near the hinge of a doorway. Grasp the hinge using the arm of your injured muscle.
How to warm up for PEC?
Warmup for Pec Rehab Exercises. Warm up before your rehab exercises. Begin each session with a hot pack placed over your injury for 10 minutes. Heat increases blood circulation and the temperature of the muscles, tendons and ligaments so they are more elastic and plastic. This means you can stretch and strengthen your tissues with less pain, ...
What is passive stretches?
In passive stretches, you relax as the weight of your body, an ankle weight or the weight of someone pushing on you stretches your pectorals. Active stretches are those you actually do by physically pulling or pushing on your body to stretch your pecs. Advertisement.
Treatment
General health websites prescribe Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (R.I.C.E) for every muscle ache and pain. Lucky for you, Facts & Physio doesn’t endorse outdated, ineffective treatments.
Soft Tissue Treatment
These exercises address trigger points in the pectoral muscles. Recall from the Symptoms section that pec trigger points cause chest, shoulder, elbow, and hand pain.
Push-Ups
Rebuilding pec muscle strength is vital to recovery and regaining function. Push-up variations strengthen the pecs and remodel the injured tissue.
Bench Press
The bench press exercise (or a chest press on weight training machines) is the best way to build powerful pectoral muscles.
Caution!
Muscle strains aren’t the only cause of chest pain. A serious medical issue, like a heart attack or panic attack, can cause chest pain.
Closing Remarks
Like any muscle strain, the severity of a pec injury determines how long it takes to recover. Healing can take a few days to a few months ( 5 ). Fortunately, muscles have good blood flow so they heal faster than tendons and ligaments.
How long does it take for a pectoralis tear to heal?
However, depending on the severity of the injury, method of treatment used, and diligence with therapy, full recovery can take several months to a year.
Where does the rupture of the pectoralis major tendon occur?
Type 1: With type 1 tears, the pectoralis major tendon pulls away from the humerus. Type 2: With type 2 tears, the rupture occurs at the muscle-tendon junction—the point where the muscle begins to transition to tendon. Type 3: With type 3 tears, the pectoralis major muscle rupture occurs entirely within the muscle belly.
How to get a muscle to be more elastic?
Warm up. Before you begin any stretching or strengthening exercises, first apply a hot pack to the injured area for 10 to 15 minutes. This will get blood flowing through the area, which will make the muscle more elastic and responsive to your rehab protocol. Begin range of motion.
Which muscle is most commonly thought of as one of the PECs?
This large muscle, which most of us typically think of as one of the pecs, plays a significant role in shoulder movement and is easily recognized by its wide fan shape. The much smaller pectoralis minor lies under the pectoralis major and attaches to the ribs and the front of the shoulder at the scapula.
Can you tear a pectoral muscle?
When you think of muscle tears, your mind probably conjures up arm or leg injuries. But the truth is you can tear almost any muscle, including your che st muscles. While most of us probably won't find ourselves in the type of situation that can lead to a chest muscle ...
Can weight lifting cause chest muscle tears?
While most of us probably won't find ourselves in the type of situation that can lead to a chest muscle injury, some groups—most notably weight lifters—are actually prone to these types of muscle tears, especially tears of the pectoralis muscle. But what causes a pectoral muscle tear, how can you avoid it, and, ...
Can a pectoralis major tear be a partial tear?
Under the right circumstances—more on that in a moment—both the pectoralis major muscle and the pectoralis major tendon are susceptible to injury. Depending on the severity of a pectoralis major rupture, a partial or complete tear may result.
Symptoms
- Pectoral injuries range from tiny tweaks to complete ruptures. Severe injuries are accompanied by a loud pop, sudden pain, significant bruising, and evident weakness. Surgical repair is necessary to fix major pectoral muscle tears. Pec muscle injuries cause chest and anterior shoulder pain. Tight spots (i.e. trigger points) in the pectoralis muscles can refer pain to the chest, shoulder, in…
Treatment
- General health websites prescribe Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (R.I.C.E) for every muscle ache and pain. Lucky for you, Facts & Physio doesn’t endorse outdated, ineffective treatments. Despite its popularity, the R.I.C.E. protocol slows recovery for musculoskeletal sprains and strains. Ice and anti-inflammatory medications disrupt and delay the body’s natural healing processes (2…
Soft Tissue Treatment
- These exercises address trigger points in the pectoral muscles. Recall from the Symptomssection that pec trigger points cause chest, shoulder, elbow, and hand pain.
Stretching
- You probably know that I’m not a huge fan of stretching. Stretching by itself won’t speed up recovery from a muscle strain. But gentle mobility work has its place–it prevents an injured pec from healing in a shortened position.
Push-Ups
- Rebuilding pec muscle strength is vital to recovery and regaining function. Push-up variations strengthen the pecs and remodel the injured tissue.
Bench Press
- The bench press exercise (or a chest press on weight training machines) is the best way to build powerful pectoral muscles.
Caution!
- Muscle strains aren’t the only cause of chest pain. A serious medical issue, like a heart attack or panic attack, can cause chest pain. If you’re unsure about the source of your chest pain, it’s a good idea to talk with a qualified healthcare provider to rule out serious issues–especially if you have a medical history of heart problems. It could save your life! Read more about chest and mid back r…
Wrapping Up
- Like any muscle strain, the severity of a pec injury determines how long it takes to recover. Healing can take a few days to a few months (5). Fortunately, muscles have good blood flow so they heal faster than tendons and ligaments. If you’ve been nursing a chest strain for a long time or suffered a severe injury, it’s a good idea to see an orthopedic physician or physical therapist. …