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Has anyone ever strained a pec muscle?
Hi dancers,
I developed some achey pain originating near my sternum, radiating through the middle of my right boob (so weird-feeling) after poling a couple weeks ago. I rested for a week or so until I felt no pain and then, thinking nothing of it, I warmed up and did a few pull-ups on the iron gym like I usually do (like, 3 pull-ups) and I felt that pain again! It didn’t stay as long as it did originally, but it scared me. I stopped everything, iced, ibuprofen, and have only been doing yoga- with no pain- for the past 2.5 weeks. Yesterday I got on the pole and did some spins, negative pull-ups, and inverts (from the floor), and that was fine, but I’m scared to try pulling up! I’m all freaked out that my form is off, but I’ve gotten nothing but compliments on my form from my boyfriend (personal trainer and massage therapist) and friends, and I feel good and solid doing pull-ups both on and off the pole.
Anyway, everyone I know + the internet have nothing to say about this particular pain I’m experiencing and I am totally perplexed. It seems as though anytime someone strains their pec major, it’s at the lateral aspect, where it attaches to the humerus (shoulder area… sorry, i’m speaking in anatomical terms because my pain is in such a specific area). So, does anyone here know anything about this, or have experienced something similar? Any idea what it could be?
Thank you 🙂 I’ve seen through discussions that a lot of you are anatomy/physiology savvy (as is Veena), so I thought this would be a good forum to post on.
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3 Replies
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Yes. I had a pec injury in March. I strained it doing a move called frog. It was pretty much instant pain which got progressively worse. At one stage I couldn’t breathe without it hurting and thought I was having a heart attack (though I knew it wasn’t, but it felt that bad). It also affected my driving, sneezing was awful as was laughing and coughing. I couldn’t lie on my affected side, bending over, reaching up, turning around and was in a lot of pain pretty much constantly. I needed 4 weeks of really intense physio including ultrasound, needling, to begin to feel better and was off the pole for 4 weeks. When I was allowed back, there was a lot of stuff I was forbidden to do. And I was so anxious that even doing a basic invert scared me. Mine wasn’t a full tear but the muscle had separated slightly from the sternum. It was my right side, right under my boob. Hope you feel better soon.
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@Girl On A Pole Omg I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. That sounds horrible! I’m so happy you’re recovered though, it sounds like?
Well, I know I didn’t tear it because I had no immediate pain. The pain didn’t come on til the next morning/mid-day and it always just felt like a weird ache with an intensity that lessened each day until it was gone. I do know, however, that I am now at a higher risk of tearing something if I were to get back to training too soon… hence my nervousness :/
I don’t want to lose my strength… but I also don’t want to get a tear!
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Yep, I’m healed now but am aware that it’s an injury site and more vulnerable. I understand the dilemma, train and risk, or heal and stay off the pole. I was that girl! To be honest, your recovery time will be so much longer if you train on that injury. Sorry to be not much good on the mechanical end of things, am sure others will be along with better advice.
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