I think I tore a muscle today doing bench. I was on my 2nd set when all of a sudden there was a ghastly crunching RIIIIIIPing noise and my arm collapsed. There wasn't a great deal of immediate pain, but I stopped the workout immediately and came home...by which time there was considerable pain. There is also a slight bit of bruising.

It's a weird muscle to hurt for that exercise, and I haven't been able to find any information about it on the 'net. The pain is at the top inside of the arm, around the bicep up towards the armpit. Ice and ibuprofen has alleviated the pain considerably.

Oddly, I was not using a whole lot of weight when this happened... 165 pounds.

I'm looking for information on how to treat this, how long to rest, how to start working it again to avoid scarification of the muscle tissue, and so on, but haven't found anything for this particular muscle.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

John

Sometimes the weight just doesn't matter.  I've pulled my back pretty good a few times now doing things that really aren't that heavy.

Let's go with this "I have a friend" story.  It usually gets the point across.

My friend was doing leg extensions without all that much weight.  But becuase of the particular angle of the machine, it put his bicep in a stressed position.

He heard a 'POP' and felt something odd but no immediate pain either. 

However, later that day and for the next several weeks, he was unable to do much upper body exercises.  Biceps were out of the question. 

While there was no visible damage, he ripped his bicep doing leg extensions!

Huh?  Yup.

He never saw a Doctor he just let it heal.

Needless to say his bicep did recover but it was odd looking.  And it will never be the same in terms of strength.  He later confessed that he saw a Doctor about 3 months after the incident.  The Doctor told him:

Because you waited so long there's nothing I can really do.  We can operate to fix what's wrong but it would only be cosmetic.  There's not even a guarantee I could get the attachment put correctly. 

He let it be. 

In your case, you know you did something pretty severe.  And while you can do some home remedies to ease the pain, I would suggest on Monday you make an immediate appointment and get this looked at.  If indeed it is a tear and something is detached, you'd be far better off to deal with it so that it can not only look better, feel better but heal correctly.

If it doesn't, you might not bench again regardless of the weight if the muscle in fact has been damaged pretty severely and doesn't heal correctly.

My 2 cents.

I was afraid you'd say something like that....New question: do I see a doctor or just go straight to they physical therapist?

doctor

Doctor. Going to PT before a Dr. is like taking your car to MAACO to have it painted when a quarter panel is missing.
 
Paul

Go to a doctor as fast as you can. The longer you wait the more severe the pain can get. I tore my hamstring a few years ago and the only way I got though the pain was because my doctor gave me some pain medication. Physical therapy is very good though. They should be able to get you back to about were you were before. I got almost all of my strength and allmost all of my flexibility back in my left leg "the one I tore my hamsting on". Don't be freaked out because of the not getting all of the flexibility back though, it just takes time and I am unusually flexible anyways. I hope that you get better though man. I know how bad it is. I couldn't sit down without extreem pain for a long while. Get better soon man.
-Kyle

I'll try to get an appointment tomorrow, first thing. Good news is, though, that it's feeling a great deal better today, so at least it probably isn't a complete tear. If there is any silver lining to this cloud, that's it.

J.

ORIGINAL: GTDude

Don't be freaked out because of the not getting all of the flexibility back though, it just takes time and I am unusually flexible anyways. I hope that you get better though man. I know how bad it is. I couldn't sit down without extreem pain for a long while. Get better soon man.
-Kyle

Thanks. I appreciate it. I hope I get better, too!

J.

ORIGINAL: Marc David

Sometimes the weight just doesn't matter.  I've pulled my back pretty good a few times now doing things that really aren't that heavy.

Let's go with this "I have a friend" story.  It usually gets the point across.

My friend was doing leg extensions without all that much weight.  But becuase of the particular angle of the machine, it put his bicep in a stressed position.

He heard a 'POP' and felt something odd but no immediate pain either. 

However, later that day and for the next several weeks, he was unable to do much upper body exercises.  Biceps were out of the question. 

While there was no visible damage, he ripped his bicep doing leg extensions!

Huh?  Yup.

He never saw a Doctor he just let it heal.

Needless to say his bicep did recover but it was odd looking.  And it will never be the same in terms of strength.  He later confessed that he saw a Doctor about 3 months after the incident.  The Doctor told him:

Because you waited so long there's nothing I can really do.  We can operate to fix what's wrong but it would only be cosmetic.  There's not even a guarantee I could get the attachment put correctly. 

He let it be. 

In your case, you know you did something pretty severe.  And while you can do some home remedies to ease the pain, I would suggest on Monday you make an immediate appointment and get this looked at.  If indeed it is a tear and something is detached, you'd be far better off to deal with it so that it can not only look better, feel better but heal correctly.

If it doesn't, you might not bench again regardless of the weight if the muscle in fact has been damaged pretty severely and doesn't heal correctly.

My 2 cents.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111oneoneoneoneleven

That sounds like me!  A year ago, I was benching until failure and later decided to do dips.  Big mistake.  I did not feel anything painful per se, but after that, I could no longer bench or exert my right pectoral muscle.  Well I later exerted myself continuously and had to take pectoral exercises off the list for about 4 or 5 months.  Everything had been going fine until October when I benched that day, and later went to exercise again (hitting the bag)...again, I felt little pain, but an obvious sensation and a suspicion that I tore or injured my pec again.  The next day all suspicions were put to rest when I couldn't use my muscle.  I've been trying to rest it ever since October and still feel a sensation when I flex or use my pec in certain ways.

I've read that a torn muscle will not flex and will have brusing, swelling, etc.  I don't have any of these symptoms, but what I do have makes me suspect something.  Something just isn't RIGHT, and when I would bench it would show through a large strength difference between my left and right sides (not to mention what I could do off my injury). 

What do I have?  I suspect a minor tear or maybe a strain, but I am not sure.

I don't know if I'm being clear or not, but I would REALLY appreciate any information or insight that could help me.  I've wanted to see a doctor for the longest time but for the time being, I'm stuck here. 

Thats gotta suck....

Yeah, it really does suck.  But what sucks even more is the fact that I'd like some help...

bump

I've been reading your messages about the torn pectoral muscles.  I have a friend who was operated on yesterday for a torn pec.  He waited months before being able to schedule the surgery because of work.  I don't know how bad the tear was, but obviously it was bad enough to get operated on.  My question to all of you is, how long will his recovery time be?  Also, what can he expect to be able to do when he is recovered as far as being able to lift again?  When will he be ABLE to lift again?  Byt he way, thank you for all of the great info on this in these posts. 

it's so ironic because the first person who posted about tearing a muscle under the armpit to the chest has the same problem as me. i just decided to search the net to find any info to solve this tearing and happened to find this forum.
 
i was working out doing heavy weights and suddenly on the first rep as i lowered the weight, i realized it was hurting. me being stupid, i kept pushing and did many sets. i also kept working out after that for 2 weeks. now, i have stopped working out completely and decided to go the doctors tomorrow. i hope that i'm not too late and injured myself to a point where it becomes permanent.
 
the problem is i dont know if my situation is as bad as many of you guys. i was still able to do reps afterwards but just not as much and was still able to do my back and arms without too much pain. the only pain i have most is benching.

hi. could you please inform us wat happened when you went to the doctors. wat did he/she tell you?
 
i'd very much like to know because i have the same problem. thanks.

Ok guys, here's the story:

If something doesn't feel right, you heard a pop or a crunch and then you can't use a muscle properly, YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY!  To delay is at your own peril.  We spend so much time in the gym, watch our diets, and discuss bbing endlessly, all in the name of improving our bodies (and minds!), to not take care of it when something goes wrong (or seems to have gone wrong) is to take your hard work and FLUSH.

The worse a doctor will say is that "it's nothing serious."  Actually, that's a good thing.  You didn't waste his/her or your time.  Self-medicating is just not an option when we're talking the time and expense that we spend on our bodies here.

I've been as guilty as others in not seeking professional attention after hurting myself.  The alternatives include slower healing, and maybe not being able to be as good as before.  I've learned my lesson.