Chest Pain from Cycling
 

No ... not my heart!!!



On my last 3 rides I've finished with chest pain across the top of my chest from shoulder to shoulder. Either the bones or muscles across there just ache and feel all tight.


Anyone else experience this ... it's really not comfortable!!

See a doctor.

It's just muscle-type pain. All a Dr. would say is "It's just muscle pain ... you're fine." If it were my heart or lungs, I'd be into the Dr tomorrow.


I'm debating if it is because of:

-- the fact that I didn't do much in the way of an upper body workout this past winter ...

-- except for the fact that I carried my heavy backpack everywhere up till 3 weeks ago, and may have "put my back out" a bit ...

-- or if it might have something to do with the fact that all three rides in question were windy and I was pushing against the wind, and may very well have been hunched ...

-- or possibly some sort of posture issue on the bicycle I haven't thought of.


If you have experienced this sort of chest pain, do you know what caused it, and what you did to reduce or prevent it?

so its muscle pain? im guessing the stress of putting so much weight on your upper pecks from hunching over during rides just made you sore, try some light decline chest presses with a bit of weight for strengthening. or also after more rides your muscles should condition themselves.

Push ups, looking up, straight ahead work for me.

Also stand in door way, hands level with shoulders while trying to push chest out the door.

Also a variation of that except hold the door at a point above the head and push.

Are you really going to guess when you have chest pain?

Machka,

I experienced pain similar to that and wound up in the hospital because I had a heart attack.....no foolin'.

Women also experience the symptoms of heart attack somewhat differently than men. Often, though people will say, "Oh. it's just gas", or "Oh it's just muscle pain". Better safe than sorry, or as my cardiologist once told me, it's far less embarrassing to have chest pain checked and it turns out to be minor, than it is to be laid out on a slab in the morgue, naked, because you didn't. The biggest factor in heart disease related death is denial....it ain't just a river in Egypt, ya know.

Agreed. Also give credit to JPradun and Longfemur.

Eliminate the possibility - no matter how small - that this could be serious.

Then, work on addressing issues such as more upper body conditioning, etc.

You said yourself:

"On my last 3 rides I've finished with chest pain across the top of my chest from shoulder to shoulder. Either the bones or muscles across there just ache and feel all tight."

It's consistent. And even if the "alarmists" are wrong and this goes away, do you really want any nagging doubts?

I wouldn't mess with it. I had similar symptoms last May and lost the whole season. Diagnosis: Blockage=mild heart attack. Lucky for me I'm all fixed up and feeling great. Please, see a doctor !!!

Ok, let me describe the pain ...

If you place your hand on your chest so that your thumb is parallel with your collarbone, and resting on your collarbone ... that's where the pain is. It goes from rotator cuff to rotator cuff across the top of my chest, and is about a handwidth wide.

It feels sort of like when I separated my shoulder last year or tore my rotator cuff a few years ago.

I keep on top of what a heart attack would look like, and I can't say I've ever come across that description.

my suggestion would be to see a physical therapist if you can, they would be able to know exactly what the problem is and deisng a stretching/strengthening regiment for you. im thinking shoulders and upper pectorals, but i could be wrong.

If you're so convinced it's not the heart, then have it examined by a physician who specializes in sports related injuries. Have him run some tests. If you disagree with his diagnosis, get a second opinion.

Then, if feasible, visit a PT.

If you can replicate the pain by pressing on the muscles/ligaments/tendons in that area, and if 800mg ibuprofen takes away the pain, and if certain movements of your shoulders make it worse, it is very unlikely cardiac pain. If those criteria aren't met, I would see a family doc or internist, and have them check you out! Otherwise, I like the idea of getting connected with a PT or trainer to work with you on posture, flexibility, and muscle imbalances that might be contributing to the problem.

- JP

Just got see a Dr, you live in Canada. I live in Vancouver, if anything bugs me I go to the walk in clinic near by. Just go early, and they will see you quickly. Never play around with unusual pains, you never know what it might be. Maybe it is just muscle pain, and if it is great, no need to worry. But you never know, and its better to be safe then to be sorry.

I never understood why people have such an aversion to a doctor's visit.

So ... I've been to the Dr. (I would have gone sooner, but there were timing issues) and .....


It's Tietze syndrome. An inflammation of the joints where the rib cage connects with the sternum. It's harmless, yet painful ... relatively common among women in their 40s for some reason ... and takes a long time to heal.

I will also be going for a chest X-ray and my annual ECG.

Well there you go. Now you won't have to panic if you have this pain while riding. It's always better to know than to ignore when it comes to chest pain.