I raced St. Anthony’s yesterday and within the first few swim strokes I take a foot or elbow right to the left chest. I could feel it throughout the race but it didn’t really play a factor into my overall time. I could still swim fine, ride normal and run without any pain. But when I finished, my chest started hurting. It hurt to breathe for a little but - I couldn’t take any deep breaths really. After a little while, it was a little better. It’s pain on the left side of my chest and hurts to take in a deep breath still, it hurts to bend over or pick myself up out of bed. The pain is sometimes just an acute sharp pain right in the middle of the left chest, but sometimes can encompass the entire thing. It’s sore to lift my left arm as well.
My wife is a nurse so she was concerned about my heart or even having a heart attack - especially since I’ve already had a stroke 2 years ago when I was 25 (only 160lbs).
My thought is just a bruised sternum or pectoral muscle but not sure. All I know is it hurts like a motherf***er half the time.
Ok so after doing a little more research - maybe it’s a bruised rib since the sternum goes down the middle of your chest and it doesnt really hurt me there. Thoughts?
I raced St. Anthony’s yesterday and within the first few swim strokes I take a foot or elbow right to the left chest. I could feel it throughout the race but it didn’t really play a factor into my overall time. I could still swim fine, ride normal and run without any pain. But when I finished, my chest started hurting. It hurt to breathe for a little but - I couldn’t take any deep breaths really. After a little while, it was a little better. It’s pain on the left side of my chest and hurts to take in a deep breath still, it hurts to bend over or pick myself up out of bed. The pain is sometimes just an acute sharp pain right in the middle of the left chest, but sometimes can encompass the entire thing. It’s sore to lift my left arm as well.
My wife is a nurse so she was concerned about my heart or even having a heart attack - especially since I’ve already had a stroke 2 years ago when I was 25 (only 160lbs).
My thought is just a bruised sternum or pectoral muscle but not sure. All I know is it hurts like a motherf***er half the time.
Ok so after doing a little more research - maybe it’s a bruised rib since the sternum goes down the middle of your chest and it doesnt really hurt me there. Thoughts?
Is there a lump near where it hurts? My first thought was that you had separated the rib from the cartilage at the sternal border. If it’s further out than that, might have cracked the rib or done something with the intercostal muscles in the area.
But, given your history, I’d have it checked out just in case.
Drive on- not like a doc can do much for either injury.
I whacked my Chest on my saddle on an mtb ride a few months ago.
Hurt like mad but not debilitating.
I was getting checked out for Broken ribs/collapsed lung a couple months after- doc asked when I broke my sternum?
It could be damaged rib cartilage. It would hurt like hell. Breathing, moving, everything. Not much you can do about it but take anti-inflammatories, pain killers, and rest. But as the others have said, don’t mess with your health, if you have a history, better to check it out.