Weak Chest playing Sport / Going to the Gym

[TuckerCarlson]

Hi guys

First time poster. Really is great having a place to discuss these speciaist issues.

Just wanted to get your thoughts on my ‘problem’.

I had the surgery about 10 years ago. Other than numbness in the chest, everything’s been fine.

I haven’t really put any pressure on my chest since the op. However, over the last couple of years i’ve started playing sport and getting into fitness at the gym.

Last year I bench pressed a relatively light weight, woke up the next day and had a sharp pain in my chest, like i pulled something. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to sneeze, when i ran the pain reverberated through my chest.

I thought nothing of it, and rested. It took about 8 weeks to heal. That seemed quite excessive.

I then played soccer. And a guy elbowed me in the chest. Same thing happened. Sharp pain, hurt to run, 8 weeks resting to recover.

Last week at soccer again, i collided with another player, and my chest took the impact. I’ve got the same pain, but it feels a bit lower in the chest this time, and a bit deeper.

I just wanted to ask. After having the op, are our chests ‘weaker’? More easily injured? And take longer to heal?

Has anybody had any experience like this?

Or are my injuries fairly normal, and even without the op a blow to the chest should take 8 weeks to heal?

I guess im just trying to ascertain whether ive got a weakened chest and need to take extra care, or whether its perfectly normal, and im blaming the gyno surgery when its nothing to do with that?

Appreciate your comments

Thanks

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Properly performed gyne surgery doesn't touch your chest muscle.
What you described is some type of trauma to the chest -- which does take timne to heal.

Your chest is not permanently weakened after gyne surgery.

Dr Jacobs

[TuckerCarlson]

Thank you Dr Jacobs

I think another factor may be that over the last 10 years, i haven’t attempted to build my chest properly at the gym through fear i might tear something.

So my chest is the weakest area anyway. I think once this injury subsides, i’ll start trying to work my chest a bit down the gym to make it more resilient to impact injuries.

Thanks