Last week my right pectoral muscle was a little sore, but I didn't think anything of it because since I've been working out every day I get sore now and then. But on Wednesday, I was bench-pressing my little 20 pounds (I spend half my time at the gym removing other people's weights) and after I finished my first set and reached up to start my second set, I felt a sharp pain just to the side of my sternum. I sat there for a few minutes, thinking it would subside, but it got worse and worse, and finally I gave up and went home.It still hurts. It's a bit better, but it still hurts. I haven't been back to the gym since. Yesterday, I decided that I would go and spend some time on the elliptical machine, just to keep in the habit of going there every day, but my chest hurt and I was feeling crappy, so I blew it off. (I took Nyquil three nights in a row because my coughing was keeping me awake; Nyquil always makes me feel sleepy all the next day.) But I think the main reason I was feeling pissy is that I was just mad about my gym routine being interrupted. Since I started in mid-September, I have worked out religiously 5 days a week. I only missed two days that whole time. I had just begun to really notice a change in the shape of my body, and I was enjoying it.
Since I'm such a novice at this working out thing, I thought I'd look for some advice on what to do about my injury. I found a couple of web sites, one of them called Real Jock (a "gay fitness community"), or something like that. I couldn't find any information about healing from injuries, but they have hookup ads. (You can't be a gay anything without hookup ads, and besides, we're all working out so that we can have more sex anyway, right? so why not put it all on the same web site. Now I'm even more annoyed.)
3 comments:
Ice! And some anti-inflammatory medication. Check webmd.com, cuz I'm not sure if you should alternate ice with heat.
Be careful! I ripped/stretched a ligament in my shoulder and was in pain for years.
Good luck and quick healing!
Ice at first to prevent some swelling, but I think you're beyond that now. Use ice if it is aggrevated by secondary use post initial event. Heat, just a bit, to help with the healing bloodflow. Light on the anti-inflamatory meds- you do want some swelling, but use them for the pain relief. Stretch as soon as you feel comfortable.
and, time, time, time.
Doing alternate excercises to strengthen area around the pull is a good thing. We'll talk.
Welcome to the club my friend, you are now an athlete and have been hazed. Muscle pulls at some point are part of the game and you are a lucky, gifted man if it never happens.
when i've been injured from athletic activity, i've followed the advice of my fitness therapist.
he recommends ceasing activity immediately at the point of any sharp pain. if pain lingers then recuperate initially by rest. ice/heat is most effective immediately. if you use a heating pad in any sustained fashion only use it 20 minutes at a time, once an hour -- otherwise you can make your pain worse.
once you're past resting it off, try as soon as possible to resume activity but start at very low levels and only move up to a higher level of intensity when you can handle it. to rest completely can actually make recuperation take a lot longer. again, however, if you feel any sharp pain, stop immediately.
injuries suck. they've sidelined me a lot this past 18 months. but each one has given me better habits to prevent similar kinds of injuries.
one thing i always pay attention to with resistance training is emphasizing form over strength. keeping perfect form and lower weights will help prevent future injury.
hope that helps.
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