With all of the social importance of looking good, more and more people are exercising regularly. Unfortunately, if a person isn't careful they can end up doing more harm than good to their muscles. This is particularly true of men who want to achieve a "ripped" physique too quickly. This can result in pulled muscles, particularly in the chest, which can be painful at best, and requiring surgery at the worst.
Definition
A pulled chest muscle, or one that experiences a muscle strain, is injury to the muscles and tendons that attach to the sternum, or breast bone. Muscles, tendons, and bones all comprise their own units that allow movement around the ribs. Strains always occur at their weakest point.
Types of Strain
There are three different types of pulled chest muscle that a person can experience. A mild pulled muscle is a slight strain that results in no tears or loss of strength. A moderate strain involves tearing of the chest muscle, tendon, or their attachment to a rib. Lastly, a severe strain involves a rupture of the tendon-muscle-rib attachment and usually requires surgery in order to properly repair the damage done.
Pain
The most obvious symptom of a pulled chest muscle is pain. This pain will result whenever the muscle is moved, stretched, or used. This is particularly true if it's used in a pushing motion, such as when bench pressing or doing push-ups.
Loss Of Strength
In a mild chest muscle strain there is no loss of strength because the injury isn't great enough to upset the muscle's basic structure. With moderate and severe strains though there is a loss of physical power since the muscle has been torn or ruptured, and it no longer functions properly.
Other Symptoms
Other symptoms of a pulled chest muscle include swelling around the injured muscle, muscle spasms, calcification of muscles or tendons (visible with an X-ray), and crepitation (a crackling feeling or sound when the muscle is pressed on with the fingers).
Tags: chest muscle, chest muscle, pulled chest, chest muscle that, muscle strain
