Orthopedics Sports Injuries Pectoralis Major Muscle Rupture By Jonathan Cluett, MD twitter linkedin Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams. Learn about our editorial process Jonathan Cluett, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Stuart Hershman, MD on August 24, 2020 linkedin Stuart Hershman, MD, is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery. He is the director of adult spinal deformity & complex spinal reconstruction at Massachusetts General Hospital and is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Learn about our Medical Review Board Stuart Hershman, MD on August 24, 2020 Print The pectoralis major muscle, or most commonly its tendon that attaches to the arm bone, can rupture. Athletes often call this a pec rupture or torn pec, but it is more accurately called a pectoralis major muscle rupture. Pectoralis major ruptures are uncommon injuries that occur almost exclusively in men between the ages of 20 to 39. While partial tears can occur, these are less common, and usually, a complete rupture of the tendinous attachment of the muscle to the bone occurs. microgen/E+/Getty The pectoralis major muscle is the large muscle just in front of the chest wall. There are two parts of the pectoralis muscle: the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. The pectoralis major is the larger of the two and works to push the arms in front of the body, such as in a bench press maneuver. How a Pectoralis Major Muscle Rupture Occurs These injuries generally occur during forceful activities. Many pectoralis major ruptures occur during weightlifting, particularly during a bench press maneuver. Other causes of a pectoralis major rupture include football (blocking), wrestling, rugby, and other traumatic injuries. Steroid use can weaken the tendon, and this is thought to be a contributing factor in many pectoralis major muscle ruptures. However, these injuries can certainly occur in people who have never used steroids. Symptoms Patients who experience a pectoralis major rupture feel a sudden pain, and often a tearing sensation in their chest. Symptoms include: Pain in the chest and upper arm Weakness in pushing the arms out in front of the body Bruising in the chest and arm A dimpling, or pocket, formed just above the armpit where the rupture occurred Treatment Surgery is most often recommended for complete tears of the pectoralis muscle tendon. Patients who have partial tears, tears within the muscle, or elderly and low-demand patients, may be able to avoid surgical treatment. By repairing the torn tendon, patients have a good chance of returning to high-level sports and activities. Ideally, the repair is performed in the early period following the injury. By performing the repair within several weeks of the injury, scar tissue and muscle atrophy are minimized. The repair is performed by placing large sutures in the torn tendon and then securing these sutures to the arm bone with either holes in the bone or anchors inserted in the bone. Can the Problem Be Repaired If It Is Not Tended to Promptly? Yes, some authors have shown good results with repair months, or even years, following the injury. Again the repair is best done in a timely fashion, but there are studies that show patients who have late repairs can find improved cosmesis (appearance of the chest), strength, and overall satisfaction. Prevention Weightlifters should be instructed on proper bench press technique. The most important considerations are to limit the distance the bar is lowered and to narrow the grip of the hands on the bar. Lowering the bar all the way to the chest, or widening the grip on the bar, increases the stress on the muscle and increases the chance of pectoralis injury. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Provencher MT, Handfield K, Boniquit NT, Reiff SN, Sekiya JK, Romeo AA. Injuries to the pectoralis major muscle: diagnosis and management. Am J Sports Med. 2010;38(8):1693-705. doi:10.1177/0363546509348051 Butt U, Mehta S, Funk L, Monga P. Pectoralis major ruptures: a review of current management. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2015;24(4):655-62. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2014.10.024 Green C, Comfort P. The affect of grip width on bench press performance and risk of injury. Strength Conditioning J. 2007;29(5):10-14. doi:10.1519/00126548-200710000-00001.