Pectoral Strain
A pulled chest muscle: a sudden catch or tearing feeling at the front of your chest or near the armpit, usually mid-press, mid-throw or mid-lift.
Read moreInjury Finder
Chest Muscle Pain: Common Causes and Conditions
Chest muscle pain (and pain from the ribs and joints underneath it) usually has a story behind it: a heavy bench press, a hard throw, a fall onto the ribs, or a cough that wouldn't let up. It's usually reproducible too, brought on by a particular movement or by pressing on the sore spot.
When chest pain is an emergency
Not all chest pain is muscular. Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance if your chest pain is severe, getting worse, or has lasted more than 10 minutes; if it feels heavy, crushing or tight; if it spreads to your jaw or down your arm; or if it comes with breathlessness, nausea, dizziness or a cold sweat.1 Don't wait on a physiotherapy appointment.
Conditions we see in this region
Costochondritis
Sharp, tender pain where your ribs meet your breastbone, often worse on a deep breath or when you press on it, usually with no injury behind it.
Read moreRib Fracture
A cracked rib after a direct knock, a fall or a long run of hard coughing, with pain that bites when you breathe in or laugh.
Read moreNot sure which one fits?
These overlap: a rib and the muscle over it can both be sore at once, and telling them apart is what an assessment is for. Chest-wall injuries from training and contact sport are covered on our Sports Physiotherapy page; everything else starts with general Physiotherapy.
If none of these matches, head back to the Injury Finder and start from wherever it hurts.
