Sign up
Log in
EspañolWhat causes a pulled chest muscle? Diagnosis, prevention, and treatment
What does a pulled chest muscle feel like?
A pulled chest muscle, also known as a muscle strain, is the result of a tear or stretch in the muscles of the chest. The feeling can be alarming as it is often a sudden and sharp pain traveling through the chest area. This pain can also be achy and tender to the touch. There can be significant inflammation and swelling after a chest muscle is pulled. Muscle strains are a common injury, especially among athletes. Commonly, this muscle injury happens during training camps or when people suddenly increase their exercise regimen. With proper care, a pulled chest muscle can heal within a few days to a few weeks.
Key takeaways:
A pulled chest muscle is a common health condition that mostly affects athletes or people with increased exercise regimens. However, muscle strains can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, race, or ethnicity.
A pulled chest muscle is caused by overstretching, pressure, or strain on the muscles.
Risk factors for a pulled chest muscle include skipping warm-ups before exercising or playing sports, lifting heavy objects without care, and playing contact sports. Older adults are at greater risk of falling, and people who suffered an auto accident also have an increased risk.
Symptoms of a pulled chest muscle include sharp and sudden pain in the chest area, swelling in the chest, pain in the chest that is tender to touch, achy pain in the chest that is sharp or dull, difficulty moving the chest, bruising on the affected area, and loss of strength or range of motion.
A pulled chest muscle often requires a medical diagnosis, even for mild cases, so making an appointment with a healthcare provider can help determine the severity of the injury and rule out other causes. Completely torn muscles require medical attention and treatment.
The severity of a pulled chest muscle will determine if treatment is required. Milder cases can generally be treated at home and typically resolve within a few weeks.
Treatment of a pulled chest muscle may include “RICE” (rest, ice, compression, and elevation), ice or heat, massage, over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen. More severe cases may require rehabilitation exercises or surgery for complete muscle tears.
Keeping the chest stretched and strong helps to prevent pulled chest muscles.
Use coupons for pulled chest muscle treatments, like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen, to save up to 80%
What causes a pulled chest muscle?
There are several reasons a person may pull a chest muscle, as this condition can happen to anyone. Below are some common causes of a pulled chest muscle:
Skipping warm-ups before sporting activities
Car accident
Falling injury
Injuries during contact sports
Sudden increases in an exercise regimen
Lifting heavy objects without care
Coughing or sneezing hard during illness (like bronchitis or a cold)
Certain people are at an increased risk of a pulled chest muscle, including:
Athletes
Older adults
People at risk of falling
People with poor flexibility
People with poor posture
Athletes and those who regularly exercise may have additional pulled chest muscle causes, including:
Doing repetitive motions or forceful movements that involve the chest muscle, such as swinging a tennis racket, golf, gymnastics, and rowing
Heavy lifting or bench pressing the wrong weight
Starting a new training regimen
Twisting the body while lifting
Performing explosive action, such as sprinting
Pulled chest muscle symptoms
Symptoms of a pulled chest muscle include:
Sharp and sudden pain in the chest area
Swelling/inflammation in the chest
Pain in the chest that is tender to touch
Achy pain in the chest that is sharp or dull
Difficulty moving the chest
Bruising on the affected area
Loss of strength and range of motion in chest area
Soreness of chest area
Muscle spasms
Pain in the chest that gets worse with sneezing or coughing
Deep breathing that causes a sharp, shooting pain
Risk factors for a pulled chest muscle
The chest muscles are called the pectoral muscles. They are a group of skeletal muscles that connect the front of the chest with the bones of the upper arm and shoulder. Within this muscle group, the chest is made up of primarily two muscles, the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. There are also intercostal muscles that run between the ribs and form the chest wall. While strains can happen in the pectoralis major or pectoralis minor muscles, they are not as common. In general, injuries of the pectoralis major muscle are rare, and treatment may require a sling or surgery. Nearly half of all chest muscle strains happen in the intercostal muscles.
Pulled chest muscles, like intercostal muscle strain, are caused by overstretching, pressure, or strain on these muscles. Those with a greater risk of developing a pulled chest muscle include those with:
Poor posture
Poor flexibility
Increased risk of falling
Improper lifting technique, such as twisting while lifting heavy boxes off of shelves or moving furniture
Is a pulled chest muscle serious? When to see a doctor
A pulled chest muscle can be serious depending on the severity of the tear or stretch of muscles. While most cases are minor, a doctor can help evaluate the symptoms and rule out other serious conditions, such as a broken bone. Your primary care provider can help determine the cause and initial treatment. An orthopedic physician or a sports medicine physician can provide more specialized treatment if needed. Strained chest muscles are a common occurrence, and milder cases will be treated at home.
It’s important not to confuse the symptoms of a pulled chest muscle with the symptoms of a heart attack. While some heart attack symptoms are similar to those of a pulled chest muscle, there are differences. Heart attack symptoms may include chest pain that radiates down the left arm, a sensation of chest squeezing and tightness (angina), shortness of breath, sweating, feelings of clamminess, nausea, and heart palpitations. Signs of a heart attack indicate a medical emergency, and 911 should be contacted.
Pulled chest muscles can be grouped into three grades based on severity. Grade 1 is mild damage to muscle fibers that cause some loss of strength and motion. The recovery for grade 1 usually only lasts between two and three weeks. Grade 2 is a greater amount of muscle damage. Grade 2 has significant loss of motion and strength and may require two to three months of recovery. Grade 3 is a complete rupture of a muscle or a tendon. Grade 3 sometimes requires surgery to reattach the damaged muscle and tendon.
How is a pulled chest muscle diagnosed?
Orthopedic physicians and sports medicine physicians specialize in treating musculoskeletal injuries. Typically, they can diagnose a muscle strain based on a patient’s history and a physical exam. The provider will likely ask for a description and location of the muscle pain. They may also ask about any changes in exercise regimen or if there is a history of recent falls. The physical exam may cause some additional discomfort as a provider may ask the patient to move or bend in certain positions so that they can further evaluate the condition.
An X-ray can help rule out a fracture or dislocation, but muscle injuries are not visible on a typical X-ray. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be used to determine where the injury is and whether there is a complete rupture or not. Additionally, MRIs help show collections of blood (hematoma) that are a possible symptom of pulled muscles.
What is the best way to treat a strained chest muscle?
Treatment options for a strained chest muscle will depend on the severity of the injury. For milder cases that can be treated at home, treatment usually includes rest, over-the-counter pain relievers, ice or heat, and massage. It’s important to remember that often, a pulled muscle is a minor injury that can heal on its own with proper care within a few weeks.
“RICE” stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This is a commonly used care regimen for muscle-related injuries. The first step is rest, and this is simply just taking it easy and avoiding strenuous physical activity. The second step is wrapping ice in a towel or using an ice pack and applying it to the injured part of the chest for 20-minute intervals. The third step involves wrapping a compression bandage around the torso to reduce swelling. However, the bandage shouldn’t be so tight that it increases your pain, limits your movement, or makes it hard to breathe. The last step includes raising the injured area above the level of the heart. This can be done by sleeping in a recliner or using extra pillows.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are very accessible and can help manage pain and reduce inflammation. OTC options include acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Muscle relaxants may be prescribed in more severe cases.
Some people may need rehabilitation after a strained muscle injury. Rehabilitation can often be done with a physical therapist or an occupational therapist. This treatment will include exercises and movements that can improve strength and flexibility and eventually maintain muscle function. Athletes recovering from a muscle injury will likely develop a rehabilitation or physical therapy plan with their trainers as there is a high chance of re-injuring the muscle and facing a setback.
How to prevent a pulled chest muscle
There are ways to help prevent a pulled chest muscle. An important key is to keep the chest muscles stretched and strong. Doing regular stretching, such as a “pec stretch” and chest strengthening exercises, can help prevent future injuries. Remember to lift heavy objects with care and avoid lifting heavy weights without proper training or practice. Stretch properly prior to exercise or sports activities. For athletes, it’s important not to rush back into the sport before allowing a previous muscle injury to heal. If athletes attempt to return to their sport too quickly, there is a high chance of re-injury to the muscle.
Additional techniques for preventing flare-ups include staying hydrated with water as this helps muscles heal, getting plenty of rest and sleep, improving posture, limiting alcohol intake and tobacco use that may contribute to inflammation, and limiting or avoiding sugary foods that can be inflammatory.
Most importantly, a pulled chest muscle is treatable
A pulled chest muscle is most commonly caused by overstretching, pressure, or strain on the muscles. You may be at risk for a pulled chest muscle if you are an athlete, older adult, at risk of falling, have poor flexibility, or have poor posture. Most healthcare providers can diagnose strained muscles, but orthopedic physicians and sports medicine physicians specialize in the treatment. A pulled chest muscle is curable. Milder cases will likely resolve on their own with home treatment of RICE and OTC pain relievers. More severe cases may require rehabilitation exercises or surgery. Visit your doctor to determine the best prevention and treatment for a pulled chest muscle.
What’s next? Additional resources for people with a pulled chest muscle
Test and diagnostics
Muscle Strain: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)
Pectoralis Major Tear, StatPearls
Treatments
What is inflammation? Causes, treatment, and prevention, SingleCare
NSAIDs: Uses, common brands, and safety info, SingleCare
More information
Strained Chest Muscle: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment, Healthcare Associates of Texas
Chest Discomfort: Cardiac or Muscular, University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center
Is It a Heart Attack or a Pulled Chest Muscle, Banner Health