loss of muscle

[elderkid]

To cut a  long story short i had lipo 4 months ago and think it is most likely that i will require further surgery in a month or 2.  (probably give it 6 months from first op.)  My left side has been considerably larger from day 1 post op.  However, i am getting really confused as i think now that my left side is actually a better shape than my right side - if not still a little fatty.  I definitley have - it seems - less muscle mass on the right side which makes the top of my peck look flat.

Is it possible that the PS could have removed or damaged the muscle on my right side?  or is it possible that the right side was always smaller(muscle) and i have only notice after lipo?

Appreciate your thoughts on this

[flex1appeal]

Highly unlikely it was the result of lipo. More than likely you have always had some asymmetry going on. What caused it could be numerous things. If you workout your one side could have developed more strength than the other side and when lifting, the strong side grew more as a result. Best way to fix that from a workout standpoint is to do isolated exercises for your pecs. Dumbell presses, for example, as opposed to flat bench with a barbell.
The asymmetry could have also been caused by damage from a tear while working out or some other injury, such as in my case. The problem is, fat has a way of covering the symmetry or lack thereof. Until I got my lipo done, I was not fully aware of how unsymmetrical my injury left my pecs.

[elderkid]

Thanks for input.  I have a few theorys and would again appreciate your opinion.  (oh, yes i have always worked out - especially hard on my chest in order to hide my gyno - however my big side is the left side yet i am right handed, i would have thought that my right side would have been bigger!)

1.  I had a back/neck problem - herniated cervical discks - which affected my right back/shoulder for about 2 months and this resulted in me over compensating with my left side posssibly resulting in muscle shrinkage to my right side??

2.  treatment for the above involved 2 hydrocortizone injections to my right shoulder - could this have helped shrink my right peck?

thanks in advance

PS you say removal of fat by lipo is highly unlikely - that indicates it may be possible.  How would i know?

[flex1appeal]

What you explained is more than likely the cause of your left side being more muscular. First of all, I too, am right handed but my left side is stronger and always has been when it comes to lifting. So I tended to over compensate in my earlier years working out. It wasn't until I began doing isolated exercises that I began to correct the problem. Then I tore my right pec doing heavy bench presses. My pec atrophied pretty good cause it detached and was reattached. That's the reason I have my deformity and asymmetry.

As for the injury you described and taking cortisone shots, I do know cortisone, a cortical steroid, is known to break down muscle and not build like anabolic steroids are known to do. Though, I do not know if it is site specific. Meaning, I do not know if giving one shots of cortisone repeatedly in the same area, will cause muscle break down only in that specific region. From what I know, you'd have to take a good deal of cortisone for muscle break down to occur. So I doubt you were on enough for that to affect your muscle symmetry. More than likely, the injury caused not only you to stop working out for a while but also may have caused muscle atrophy. And if you did continue working out but just avoided the right side since it was injured, then your left side was getting resistance training still causing muscle growth while your right was not active. That can cause symmetry issues. It's often best to not workout at all after an injury to prevent, not only reinjuring yourself, but also to prevent things like asymmetry from occurring. I am no expert but I have worked out all my life and was a bodybuilder/certified personal trainer for years.

[saucy]

ya i think everyone has differences in asymmetry. I for one have a bigger right pec, as well as one of my ribs sticks out further on the right underneath the pec. It's weird...and probably one of the reasons i'm getting surgery since my left looks much milder.

[elderkid]

Flex1appeal,

I did stop training for a few months during and after my injury.  But it is only my right side that has shrunk!  like you say it could be the cortizone if it affects areas outside the target area.  Maybe it was always smaller and i didnt notice when my chest had more fat - or i just wasnt really looking, just sort of accepting the shape of my chest.   It is only after surgery that we really home in on the symetry.

However, here is something to consider:  when we look in the mirror we never see a true image of ourselfs, as our reflections are turned inside out.  Ok, try this: look in the mirror and raise your right hand - the guy in the mirror is holding up his left hand (think about it - slowly!)  Also the right side of your chest is now on the left side of the guy in the mirror. I know most people just think of this as reflection and dont think any further - but its true. 

Try this if your still a bit confused:  Imagine you have a bit of dirt on your right cheek, so you look in the mirror to clean of the mark - ok thats as much thought as 99.99999% of people would give to a simple task.  However the cheek you point to the mirror is on the inside/side nearest the mirror - yet on the reflection it is on the outside!!!

[flex1appeal]

Yeah, I follow what you are saying bro. That's why I never judge what I look like from the mirror. The most objective way to look at yourself is thru photographs. Photos do not lie. The mirror does. Photos are a bodybuilders friend. Most national level to pro level competitors I know live by photographs to see progression or regression. I never use the mirror or a scale. A photo is to a mirror as a tape measure is to the scale. Much better tools.

flex

[elderkid]

To confirm the mirror thing:  I took some photos recently - of my chest - and it looks pretty well balanced,yet in the mirror its not so good.  Also ive followed threads on here by guys who think there chests look worse than they really are.  i.e.  When the've posted photos i've thought this guys got an image problem (phsycological) cos he looks fine.  But after taking my own photos i knew where he was coming from - his mirror image.  He probably chose not to believe his photo image!

[flex1appeal]

Exactly! I believe all pictures I take of myself. I always see something different in the mirror. Live videos are good too actually. Haven't done that in a while though.