Thank you for your question. Without performing a full physical examination, it is difficult for us to pinpoint exactly what is going on with your pectoral muscles. The symptoms you describe—lingering pain and inflammation across your chest—could be linked to a muscle strain, tendon injury, or partial tear.
First, let’s go over some of the most common muscle injuries.
Understanding common muscle injuries
Muscle Strain:
This typically occurs when a muscle is overloaded, leading to some tearing of muscle fibers. The healing process involves inflammation and scar tissue formation, which can cause discomfort and a “tight” feeling in the affected area.
Tendinopathy:
This involves inflammation or damage to a tendon, which connects muscle to bone. Over time, too much force on the tendon can lead to this type of injury.
Given your description, it sounds like you might be experiencing a muscle strain in your pectoralis major. This type of injury often presents with local inflammation, and sometimes bruising, which could explain your symptoms.
3 steps for recovery from muscle injury
Following these injuries, it is important to get proper rest, massage through the area to promote blood flow and prevent scar tissue build-up, and to begin to lightly load the muscle.
- Rest and Recovery: Ensure you give your muscle adequate rest. Avoid activities that could exacerbate the injury.
- Massage: Gently massage the affected area to promote blood flow and prevent excessive scar tissue build-up. Be careful not to press too hard, which could cause more pain.
- Isometric Exercises: Start with light isometric exercises, which involve muscle contractions without changing muscle length. For example, try pushing your palms together with your arms straight out in front of you. This should be done with minimal force and without pain—hold for 45 seconds, three times. This promotes blood flow and aids tissue healing.
Visit a physical therapist for evaluation and help
Without a full physical examination, we are unable to determine if there are other factors contributing to your lingering pain and inflammation. Typically, with an injury of this kind, the inflammation can last up to a few weeks depending on the severity. If your situation remains unchanged beyond a few weeks, we advise you to seek the care of a physical therapist. You can begin your PT journey without a doctor’s referral, and many insurance companies have policies that cover direct access.
We hope this helps and can get you started on your road to recovery.
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As physical therapists, we know the importance of movement for overall health and well-being. From injury recovery to achieving optimal performance, our passion is to help every patient reach their goals and live an active, pain-free life.
