A chest muscle strain, or a pulled chest muscle, is normally a result of overload during your workouts. When you pull any chest muscle, you are stressing a muscle in your chest too much which results in small tears in the tissue.
Who Is Most Susceptible to a Pulled Chest Muscle
Although anyone can suffer from a pulled chest muscle, most times injuries are more common within athletes and people with levels of high physical activity. Athletes that require quick movements and fast upper body motion are most susceptible. Most likely, boxers, mma fighters, tennis players, baseball players, basketball players, weight lifters and sometimes football players due to trauma during a hit. Any quick sudden movement can cause a muscle to extend beyond its reach and tear.
Pulled Chest Muscle Common Symptoms
In most cases, you will know within 24 hours if you have suffered a pulled chest muscle. Although sometimes the pain may not kick in immediately, you will feel a sharp pain upon any attempt of movement or rotation within the chest area soon. It will feel much different then being "sore" from your workouts. Because the injury is sustained in your chest, you more then likely be able to feel some amount of pain by just moving your arms, if the pulled chest muscle is bad enough; and in severe muscle strain, you could feel pain from any movement within your entire core.
Determining the Severity of a Pulled Chest Muscle
A pulled chest muscle can be put into different levels of severity, similar to a burn injury. The first level, Grade 1 is when you have mild discomfort, but that is all. You still have free-motion and movement. Grade 2 pulled chest muscle symptoms can be diagnosed by moderate chest pain that can limit your ability in high level activities. Grade 2 pulled chest muscle symptoms may show signs of some swelling and bruising. The last, and most severe level is a Grade 3 pulled chest muscle. Symptoms of a grade 3 chest muscle strain show signs of unbearable pain, muscle spasms, bruising, and swelling.
The Risk Factor
In many athletic situations, suffering a strained muscle comes from a sudden blow to the upper body and cannot necessarily be prevented. However, there are things you can do to help reduce your risk of pulling the muscle again. Be sure to fully heal your chest before deciding to start working out again. When you do start working out again, be sure to warm-up properly and stretch out both before and after your workouts.