Pectoralis major is a muscle located at the chest area of the human body. Also known as the pectoral muscle, this particular area of the body is quite prone to injuries and strains. The muscle has the shape of thin triangle and it can be referred commonly as pecs. The exact location of the pectoralis major muscle can be described as the following: it starts from the anterior surface of the sternal, half of the clavicle and goes down to the sixth or seventh rib.

Right Pectoralis Major Muscle

The muscle is engaged during forward swinging motions of the arm and it contracts in three different ways: the upper clavicular part is used for the flexion of the arm and shoulder, the lower part engages to depress the shoulder girdle and the full contraction which produces the adduction and rotation of the upper arm and shoulder as well as pulling the arm towards the body.

There are certain trigger points in the pectoralis major muscle that can produce a great deal of pain. The problem with the pain experienced by people is the fact that it is a very particular pain that can sometimes be associated with a heart attack or angina pectoris and people often panic about a severe underlying issue for their pain. The pain is usually experienced in the chest and the front of the shoulder; in fewer cases people can also experience it down the inside of the arm and on their elbow.

Clients who have activated their pectoralis major trigger points will usually experience various degrees of pain from a slight tingle in the muscle and arm to excruciating and debilitating pain. Except for the pain that is similar to cardiac arrest, there are several other types of pain that people might experience after an accident or injury involving their pectoralis major muscle. One type of pain that can be confusing is pain in the shoulder that goes down to the ring and pinky finger of the hand.

This type of pain radiates from the muscle and can cause a great deal of distress, especially for those who do manual work or work involving lifting heavy weights. Another type of pain, very common among those who have postural problems is a pain that radiates both from the mid back region and the shoulder along with breast and nipple sensitivity in some cases.

Other types of pain related to the pectoralis major muscle are: a feeling of constriction in the chest, intermittent pain that activates when using the upper arms, and, in some cases, an impaired lymphatic drainage that might cause swelling.

When it comes to posture, there are some postures that might activate the trigger points and those who are more prone to injuries and accidents usually adopt these postures either during workout or while sitting or walking. Head forward and round shoulders is risky and can cause a great deal of pain if it is adopted for a long term. If you like gym work and weight lifting, some people have accidents when they try to lift with their arms away from their body, positioned in the front.

Also, if you had an accident involving this particular muscle before, you should avoid postural distortion or any of the activities that may put a strain on it, because it can come back more severe than it was. A significant amount of people also experience pain in the pectoralis major muscle when they have panic attacks or are prone to stress; these two culprits can trigger pain within the muscle by flexing it in an unnatural position for long periods of time.

Those who do intense training and want to increase the size of their pectoralis major muscle for aesthetical reasons should remember a few postures that will help them develop a healthy look. Some exercises are better than the others and therapists recommend chin ups, front lateral pull downs, barbell pullover and cable crossover to be the best ways to enhance your pectoralis major muscle.

For pain relief of symptoms that come from pectoralis major muscles, people have a few options ranging from natural methods such as sports massage, yoga or light exercise to pain killers and even surgery if scar tissue has formed. When it comes to sports massage and exercise, just a few days a week can do wonders, especially for those who have bad posture.

People who are experiencing excruciating pain will see major improvement even from their first session of sports massage. Sports massage is a great way for athletes not only to prevent any injuries and accidents but also to make sure that they increase the strength of their muscle and also their endurance. Sports massage is also a good way to minimize the effects of soreness after high intensity trainings.

If you want someone to look at your pectoralis major muscles and need a sports massage therapy on the Gold Coast, click and visit www.remedialmassage-goldcoast.com.au.

Pain Relief Massage Clinic
192 Brisbane Road, Arundel Gold Coast QLD 4214 Australia
Phone: (07) 5537 7886