Can you pull your sternum muscle from swinging a golf club?
Question:
Well this week, my chest is killing me--it feels like there is someone lightly pushing down on my chest. When I swing, it feels like it's stretching.
What can I do to fix this?
Answers:
Could be a couple different things. Pleurisy. Sharp, localized chest pain that's made worse when you inhale or cough may be caused by pleurisy. This condition occurs when the membrane that lines your chest cavity and covers your lungs becomes inflamed. Pleurisy may result from a wide variety of underlying conditions, including pneumonia and, rarely, autoimmune conditions such as lupus. An autoimmune disease is one in which your body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.
Also, muscle-related chest pain tends to come on when you twist side to side or when you raise your arms. Chronic pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia, can produce persistent muscle-related chest pain.
give it a day or two and if it doesn't improve, see your doctor.
You likely strained the part of your pecs in the middle of your chest. The muscle wants to rest, and it shortens and hardens while healing. Try some gentle heat, or a warm shower.
But if it hurts a lot, no heat for three days. Use some ice packs until then when you can. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Towel between your skin and the ice pack. Frozen veggies work well. 2 lb bag of frozen peas about the best.
Meanwhile move your arms fast or strong as little as possible until it feels better.
That's happened to me before too. I lift 3 times a week and I pulled a pec muscle the next day after a hard workout. I tried keeping the muscle loose by periodically stretching it throughout the day. I also had to lay off the weights & golf for a couple of days to let the muscle heal.
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