A sudden pain in the wall of your ribcage might not always be a rib subluxation or heart pain; it could be due to a pulled chest muscle, also known as pectoral strain. This pain can be extremely painful if a proper recovery approach is not implemented.
A pulled chest muscle caused by lifting weights or playing sports can cause sharp pain, which might affect your mobility. It is important to study the early signs, causes, and treatment options for this muscle strain so that you can clearly understand the injury, avoid chances of chest pain from muscle pull, or follow an accurate recovery plan.
Let’s walk you through the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for a pulled chest muscle so that you know when to take emergency medical services.
What is a pulled chest muscle?
A pulled chest muscle, also known as a pectoralis strain, is a type of muscle strain that occurs when the muscle fibers in the chest are torn due to overstretching. As a result, it affects both minor and major pectoralis, causes pain in the arm while moving objects, and stabilizes the upper body.
At times this muscle strain occurs in patients recovering from a cotton osteotomy or basal joint arthroplasty, which might also have strain in muscles.
A sharp pain in the chest caused by muscle strain is often mistaken for a rib out of place. To learn more about how a misaligned rib differs from a muscle injury, visit our comprehensive blog on slipping rib syndrome.
Pulled Chest Muscle Causes
By knowing the causes of a pulled chest muscle, you can avoid this injury or recover from this condition soon. A pulled chest is generally caused by overexertion or sudden strain on the muscles of the upper body.
There are a few common causes of chest muscle strain.
- Lifting heavy weights
- A fast, sudden twist or stretch
- Post-surgery impact
- Injury caused by an accident
Who Is at Risk of a Pulled Chest Muscle?
- Weightlifters
- Sportsmen
- People with poor posture
- Older adults
Pulled Chest Muscle Symptoms: Signs To Watch Out For
Recovering fast from a muscle strain can help you get back to mobility quickly. If you have a keen idea about its symptoms, you can immediately seek medical attention for diagnostic imaging and treatment.
Here are a few common signs:
- Sharp pain in the wall of your ribcage
- Swelling over the chest area
- Muscle tightness
- Pain while lifting
- Difficulty while breathing
When to visit Emergency Medical Services?
Quickly seek urgent care at the ER of Irving if you’re experiencing difficulty while breathing or sharp pain in the chest caused by a torn pectoral muscle or rib fracture. An ignored minor pain in the chest muscle could be a sign of a pulled chest muscle.
Fracture vs. Muscle Strain
A fracture is caused by a broken chest rib, whereas a muscle strain is caused if the chest muscles get torn. It is important to understand the difference between both injuries, as a muscle strain might improve with rest or massage, but a fracture requires medical attention for complete recovery.
Comparison Table on How Is a Muscle Strain Different from a Fracture?
| Feature |
Muscle Strain |
Fracture |
| What happens? |
When a muscle tears or is overstretched. |
When a bone breaks or cracks. |
| Reason |
Sudden lifting or trauma. |
Continuous stress, accident. |
| Swelling |
Mild and, in some cases, moderate. |
Moderate and intense in severe cases. |
| Healing Time |
Few days or weeks |
Several weeks or months |
| Diagnosis |
Manual examination ultrasound in some cases |
X-ray, MRI, and comprehensive imaging. |
Recommended Muscle Strain Treatment
Understanding the right muscle strain treatment options helps you decide the most effective strategy for quick recovery. An early treatment reduces pain, improves muscle growth, and restores mobility.
Best Treatment Options
Therapies
Follow different therapies, such as cold/heat and physiotherapy, under the supervision or prescription of a therapist.
Rest
In case your chest muscle pulls due to soleus strain, it is highly recommended to have some rest for some hours.
Medications
Use anti-inflammatory and pain management medicines to lessen your pain.
Perform surgery
For musculoskeletal injuries, go for surgery such as skeletal traction.
Continuous monitoring
Evaluate your recovery progress through comprehensive imaging such as CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays.
Want to know more about emergency chest pain evaluation at the ER of Irving? Call us now at (972) 893-3148 or visit our 24/7 emergency facility.
How to speed up muscle strain recovery?
The process of recovering from a muscle strain can be quick or slow, depending upon the severity of the strain. The recovery period of a pulled chest muscle can be time-consuming in cases where it is caused by critical leg injury surgery, such as skeletal traction, or by a serious tissue injury.
Helpful Strategies to Heal Quickly From Muscle Strain
Recovering from muscle strains caused by a soleus strain or due to surgery such as skeletal traction can be prolonged if an accurate recovery plan is not followed. An effective recovery plan speeds up the muscle strain recovery and helps you get back to normal faster.
Below are a few proven strategies that speed up muscle strain recovery:
- Relative rest with minor movement activities
- Ice/heat therapy by applying ice or heat on the external part of the affected area
- Stretching exercises
- Can use a bone stimulator if prescribed by the doctor.
- Hydration and a healthy diet
Wrapping Up: Your Complete Guide to Pulled Chest Muscle
Recovering from a pulled chest muscle can be frustrating and also time-consuming if a proper recovery plan is not followed. By combining a healthy routine, early intervention, knowing its causes, and the right treatment plan, you can reduce downtime and properly heal quickly.
Whether you want to heal from skeletal traction, rib subluxation, or soleus strain that causes muscle strain, following the right treatment—tailored to the level of severity of the injury—can help you return back to routine safely.
Need emergency evaluation for chest pain or muscle injuries? Or specialist referrals for recovery planning? Visit us now at the ER of Irving, the most reliable 24/7 emergency care facility.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does a pulled chest muscle feel like?
A few common signs of a pulled chest muscle are sharp pain while moving and dull pain in the chest.
How long does it take to heal a chest pull?
Depending upon the severity of the injury and its reason, complete recovery takes a few days or weeks.
How to fix a pulled chest muscle?
It can be treated through rest, physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medicines, and, in some cases, bone stimulators as prescribed by the doctor.
Does chest pain due to a pulled muscle affect the heart?
No, if the muscle is not linked with the heart, then it causes no direct impact on the heart, but people often confuse chest pain with heart pain.
How to diagnose if the chest pain is due to muscular pain or lung pain?
By comprehensive diagnosis through imaging and examination, such as X-ray, CT scan, and ultrasound.
