How long does it take for a pec strain 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.Apr 10, 2022
Can a pec strain heal on its own?
The quick answer is a mild and partial tear of the pectoralis major may be able to heal on their own over time. Physical therapy is typically recommended to limit scar tissue and flexibility issues. Ice and stretching may be helpful for the first few weeks.
What does pectoral strain 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.
What do you do for a strained pectoral muscle?
Nonsurgical treatment must be considered in patients who have low demand, are elderly, or have either partial tears or tears in the muscle belly. Initial management with immobilization, rest, and cold therapy followed by strengthening and stretching can offer a satisfactory to excellent functional result.Mar 21, 2017
How to rehab a PEC tear?
Various treatments may be used by your physical therapist during your pec major tear rehab. These may include physical modalities, exercise, or manual techniques. All treatments are designed to help you move better, decrease pain, and improve overall functional use of your arm.
How long does it take to recover from a pectoralis tear?
Surgery involves sewing your pec tear back into place on your upper arm. Three to four weeks after surgery you should be able to do some passive or active assisted range of motion (ROM) exercises, depending on the surgery. It will most likely take around six weeks for you to do active motion without help.
What happens when you lift heavy weights?
When you are lifting heavy weights and the pec tendon becomes overloaded, it may tear . Other forceful encounters, such as a fall onto an outstretched arm or a sudden and violent pull on your arm may also tear your pectoralis major tendon.
What is a grade I tear?
A grade I tear is simply an overstretching of the pec tendon. A grade II tear is a partial tendon tear; some of the tendon is torn and some is still intact. A full-thickness tear of your pectoralis muscle or tendon is a grade III and is the most severe.
Can a pectoralis tear cause pain?
A pectoralis major tear is a rare occurrence, but if it happens, you may experience significant pain and functional mobility loss. Your normal work and recreational activities may be affected as well. Working with a physical therapist after a pectoralis tear can help you regain range of motion, strength, and functional use of your arm. ...
What is the purpose of ultrasound?
Ultrasound is a therapeutic modality used in physical therapy. The goal of ultrasound application is to improve circulation to the tissues deep in the body. Application of ultrasound is done by your physical therapist, who uses an ultrasound wand and a coupling gel over your injured arm and shoulder. Ultrasonic waves are passed into your body, heating the tissues and increasing circulation. Typically, ultrasound is painless, but if it is not applied properly, it may cause a deep burning sensation. Tell your therapist if you feel any discomfort during ultrasound for your pectoralis major tear.
How to improve muscular endurance?
Exercises to improve muscular endurance may be done during your pec tear rehab. Your physical therapist may have you use an upper body ergometer (UBE) to improve upper extremity muscular endurance. (A UBE is a bicycle that you pedal with your arms.) A rowing machine may also be used.
How to reduce pain in pectoral muscle?
Moist heat is often used to increase blood flow to the injured area and help your muscles relax. Electrical stimulation — delivered through pads placed on your pectoral muscle — uses electrical current to decrease pain and increase blood flow to the injured area.
What exercises are used to strengthen a PEC strain?
Strengthening exercises are performed during the pec strain recovery time once you have full range of motion without pain. Dumbbells, elastic bands, wrist-cuff weights and exercise machines are all utilized in therapy for strengthening.
Why does my pectoral muscle tighten up?
After injury, your pectoral muscle may tighten up — a condition called muscle guarding — as the body attempts to protect the area from further injury. Perform stretches to gently lengthen the muscle to reduce this tightness.
What is Bailey's job?
Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor and has been writing health and fitness articles for over 10 years. Physical therapy interventions help restore range of motion and function as part of pectoral strain treatment. Muscle strains — also known as pulled muscles — cause tiny tears in your muscle fibers.
What are the three types of range of motion exercises?
Three types of range of motion exercises are common in therapy: passive, active assisted and active. Passive range of motion exercises are performed as the therapist moves your arm while you have it in a relaxed position.
How to stretch chest muscles?
Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three times. Your therapist may also instruct you to stretch at home between therapy sessions. Do the corner stretch to improve chest flexibility: Stand facing a corner with your feet staggered. Lift your arms to shoulder height and place both forearms flat on the wall.
How to stretch your PECs?
Lift your arms to shoulder height and place both forearms flat on the wall. Slowly lean in until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat three times. Lower and raise your arms slightly and repeat to stretch other parts of your pecs.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a pec major sprain include a sudden sharp pain at the front of the upper arm, near the shoulder.
What is a Pectoralis major strain?
The pectoralis major muscle is a large powerful muscle at the front of the chest. It used to rotate the arm inwards, pull a horizontal arm across the body, pull the arm from above the head down and pull the arm from the side upwards.
Treatment of a pectoralis major strain
If you suspect a torn pectoral muscle then seek professional medical attention as soon as possible. It is often a serious musce injury which may require surgery.
What is a pectoral strain?
A pectoral strain is a condition characterised by partial or complete tearing of one or more of the pectoral (chest) muscles. It typically occurs during a forceful contraction of the pectoral muscles, often when they are in a position of stretch (e.g. performing a heavy bench press).
Why does my pectoral tendon strain?
A pectoral strain often occurs suddenly due to a high force going through the muscle and tendon beyond what it can withstand. This typically occurs during weight training especially when performing a bench press, chest press or pectoral flys (especially with free weights).
What is a grade 1 tear?
Grade 1: a small number of fibers are torn resulting in some pain , but allowing full function. Grade 2: a significant number of fibers are torn with moderate loss of function. Grade 3: all muscle fibers are ruptured resulting in major loss of function. The majority of pectoral strains are grade 2 tears.
How long does it take to recover from a pectoral tear?
Those patients with a complete pectoral tear that requires surgery, usually require a period of rehabilitation of 3 – 9 months or longer before returning to full activity.
Where are the pectoral muscles located?
The pectoral muscles are a group of two muscles situated at the front of the chest (figure 1). The largest of which is the pectoralis major muscle which originates from the sternum (breast bone), ribs and collar bone and attaches to the upper arm bone (humerus). The pectoralis minor is the smaller of the two pectoral muscles originating from ...
How to stretch your shoulder?
Shoulder Flexion. Begin standing tall with your back and neck straight. Gently raise your arm forwards and up as far as you can go without pain and provided you feel no more than a mild to moderate stretch (figure 4). Repeat 10 times provided the exercise is pain free.
How to stretch your back and neck?
Begin standing tall, with your neck and back straight, your shoulders should be back slightly. Keeping your elbow tucked into your side and bent to 90 degrees, gently take your hand away from your body as far as you can go without pain and provided you feel no more than a mild to moderate stretch (figure 3). Repeat 10 times provided the exercise is pain free.
How to stretch your pectoral muscles?
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. Rotate your hips away from the hinge, stretching your recovering pectoral muscle.
How to warm up before rehab?
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, increasing ...
How to do chest flies?
Chest Presses and Chest Flies 1 Hold a small dumbbell in each hand. 2 Perform chest presses by lying flat on your back on an exercise bench and raising the dumbbells directly above the center of your chest; your palms should be facing away from you. 3 Lower the dumbbells toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows bent out to the side. 4 Press the dumbbells back up for one repetition and repeat for one set. 5 Rest your muscles for one minute then lie back down again; this time, make your palms face each other. 6 Lower the dumbbells by opening your arms and bending your elbows as if to welcome somebody with a hug. 7 Flex your shoulders to bring the dumbbells back over your chest and repeat for one set.
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.
Who is Paula Quinene?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Paula Quinene. Paula Quinene is an Expert/Talent, Writer and Content Evaluator for Demand Media, with more than 1,500 articles published primarily in health, fitness and nutrition. She has been an avid weight trainer and runner since 1988. She has worked in the fitness industry since 1990.
Who is Aubrey Bailey?
Aubrey Bailey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with an additional degree in psychology and board certification in hand therapy. Dr. Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. She is a former American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and currently works as a Level 1 CrossFit coach.
Symptoms
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. …