Chronic pec tear/ injury

[Weightlifter225]

Hey guys what’s up. So I injured my pec last May. and I had an MRI 4 months after injury which came back as normal. I have a lot of pain in my pec near the armpit tendon and outer chest (muscle tendon junction). It throbs, aches, burns and hurts/ cramps up if I put my arm across my chest. I’ve done over 20 physical therapy sessions with no improvement. Even tho my mri was normal I still feel like it’s torn because there is a clear deformity there not that wasn’t there prior to the injury. And it feels like a thin string at the tendon when you feel the area. The tear looks really noticeably when I push my fist against each other keeping my hands centered and when I retract my shoulder blades and act like I’m setting up for a bench press. I Have pictures of the deformity but not sure how to post it on here. My question is why would my mri of my chest be normal even if it seems torn? My physical therapist even believed that it looks and feels torn at the muscle tendon junction. Is it possible that my mri did not pic up on a tear? It hurts to do everyday things like even washing dishes. I’ve even tried working into light weight for weeks, different exercises and even complete rest with nothing helping. I came here because I’m lost at what to do. I appreciate any responses.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Tell us about your training.

[Weightlifter225]

I started benching wider grip when the injured occured. (Middle finger on ring). I tried taking months of training to help it heal, tried working back in and I’ve done a shit ton of physical therapy. It’s still not improving. It constantly aches and sometimes burns it hurts if I reach across to put my seatbelt on or cross my arm across my chest. What’s the reasoning my mri could be normal if I’m having these issues. My physical therapist thought it felt and looked torn too. Like the webbing where the tendon is is thin on the injured side and there’s a deformity as SHOWN BELOW

(No, not shown below. I already deleted your naked picture once.)

[Mark Rippetoe]

You tore your pec. Doctors can be wrong. Physical Therapists are almost always wrong. Do the program, and use the close-grip bench.

[Weightlifter225]

It hurts bad 24:7 and lifting increases symptoms even extremity light Bench. It honestly feels like it will take surgery right now because it’s only gotten worse. But how would I go about getting that done if they are saying it’s not torn. (Even tho that pic clearly showed it was torn)

[Mark Rippetoe]

I guess you need a better doctor's second opinion.

[Weightlifter225]

I saw another orthopedic. He said that it looks like I may have torn some “fibers in my pec at one point” he says my mri is normal tho so that it’s not torn because the mri wouldn’t be wrong. I showed him the deformity and everything with pics and told him how bad the pain is daily. He wants to do PRP injections which the research I’ve done doesn’t show much evidence for them. I’m lost at what to do…

[Mark Rippetoe]

You could do as I suggested and just do the program with a close-grip bench, and then you wouldn't be lost.

[Weightlifter225]

Thanks mark ya I am doing that. It just hurts 24/7 and would even hurt my pec to do something like a squat or deadlift. Idk why both doctors noted the deformity (that wasn’t there before) as well as me having the tell tail symptoms of a pec tear. I want surgery but he’s saying it’s “normal” going on a year at this point

[Mark Rippetoe]

Torn muscle bellies do not hurt 24/7 for days on end. You may have cancer. Get it checked.