The pectoralis major muscle was ruptured during bench press training! Master 4 principles to avoid sports injuries

Fitness is popular in China, and "bench press" weight training has always been popular among young people. However, doctors remind that excessive or incorrect weight training can easily cause "pectoralis major rupture". If medical treatment is delayed, it may cause tendon retraction and rupture, which cannot be directly repaired. Therefore, people who like fitness are reminded to pay more attention.

A 36-year-old man surnamed Yu from Taipei City has been doing fitness for nearly 7 years, going to the gym an average of 3 to 4 days a week. Two months ago, when he was doing weight training such as "bench press", he suddenly heard a "pop" sound in his chest, and then his hands became weak and painful. I originally thought it was just a common muscle tear, and apart from hand weakness and swollen chest muscles, there were no other symptoms, and my hands could move freely. However, three weeks later, the affected area continued to swell, and after going to the hospital for treatment, I discovered that it was a "pectoralis major rupture."

Be careful of pectoralis major injuries during weight training

Wu Jialin, director of the Department of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics at Taipei Medical University Hospital, who treated the case, said that the pectoralis major is located in the front of the thorax. It is a fan-shaped muscle that extends from the clavicle and sternum all the way to the humerus of the upper arm. It mainly assists the arm in performing movements such as forward pushing, adduction, and internal rotation.

Because the pectoralis major muscle is very strong, it is generally not often broken. Except for acute trauma, most pectoralis major muscle ruptures are related to sports injuries, such as rugby and wrestling, among which the bench press exercise (bench press) in weight training is the most common.

Bench press easily causes pectoralis major rupture

Director Wu Jialin pointed out that bench press training is the so-called "bench press", which is the action of pushing the weight upwards while lying down. Because the arms are externally rotated and abducted during the bench press, the tension on the pectoralis major tendon is the greatest. In addition, if the weight exceeds the load capacity of the tendon, it is easy to rupture and get injured.

Once an acute rupture of the pectoralis major occurs, a "pop" sound is often heard during exercise, followed by severe pain and weakness in the hand, as well as swelling and bruising in the arm. If it enters the chronic stage, the pectoralis major muscles on both sides may be of different sizes, there may be depressions at the rupture site, and there may be weakness in the bench press. Some patients may misdiagnose it as a muscle strain or laceration because their arms can still move freely.

Surgical treatment of pectoralis major rupture and tendon re-fixation

Although pectoralis major rupture is a relatively rare sports injury, two cases have occurred in the outpatient department of Peking University Affiliated Hospital in the past six months, both of which were caused by weight training, and some of them involved professional fitness coaches. Since most patients with pectoralis major rupture suffer from "complete rupture", surgical treatment is generally recommended. The ruptured tendon is fixed back to the humeral end using buckles or wire rivets. A triangular bandage is required for protection for about 6 weeks after the operation. After about half a year, the patient can gradually return to the pre-operative exercise intensity.

[Two little reminders from the doctor]:

Tips 1. People who like weight training, in addition to pursuing the improvement of muscle strength, should also carry out flexibility training at the same time to enhance tendon flexibility. The most important thing is to master 4 principles, namely: 1. Maintain the correct weight training posture. 2. Avoid holding the club with your arms too wide or putting too close to your chest. 3. The amount of training should be increased gradually. 4. Do what you can to avoid the risk of pectoralis major rupture.

Reminder 2. If the pectoralis major muscle is ruptured, apply ice immediately and seek medical attention promptly. Some people take steroids to promote muscle growth, but this will reduce the strength of the pectoralis major muscle and increase the possibility of rupture. The muscle may become "weak" before it turns into "Loki", so people should pay more attention.