Wasting triceps & pectoral, loss of strength

[JustinC]

It looks like I fit the profile for this kind of thing. What most of you have described is exactly my situation. I guess there were a few early signs that I should have caught. I have been working out for 13 years, although not as much into the bodybuilding as I used to be. I compete in professional kettlebell lifting (girevoy sport) and occasionally experienced neck pain after high volume. I am also a strength and conditioning coach and own my own gym so this injury is killing me! Along with the neck pain I would get a burning/cramping sensation at the inferior angle and medial border of right scapula. A couple weeks prior to the injury I was running and felt a weird feeling like a cramp at right pec near the arm pit. I thought nothing of it at the time but now it's constant. I was pretty much sedentary in the two days leading up to the injury. I'm sure I was dehydrated and sitting at the computer for long periods of time typing articles (probably with a forward head posture). I felt fine when I went to sleep about 3 weeks ago. I woke up to answer the phone and there I noticed it. It started as nagging and got worse throughout the day. That night I was having muscle spasms in pec minor, right tri, and lat. I tried to do a wall push up and did a face plant. After seeing chiro the spasms went away but still very uncomfortable to drive. After about a week the pain was gone but I was left with no strength in area of muscle spasms. Bench went from 310 to 75. Dumbbell skull crushers 55lbs for 10 on the left and 10lbs for 10 on the right. When trying to activate the affected areas I can contract triceps and lats but to a much lesser degree than left side. With the pec I can only activate lower portion of pec major, minor shows no signs of activation. As I sit and type my right side is fatiguing and feel as though there is a cramp coming on medial to right scapula. Has anyone tried acupuncture? I went for my first session yesterday and dr. seemed to have no doubt of recovery. Said he sees it a lot with athletes and construction workers. I could feel the acupuncture impulses activating areas of muscle that have been dead since injury so it was somewhat reassuring, but I have not made any improvements yet.

[physiobob]

Im in the same boat guys! Ive been lifting weights for 9 yrs and now this. So depressing watching my pec and left tricep dwindle into something child size. My dr found a buldging disc in my c7 area and that is causing the pinched nerve in my left shoulder blade area then radiates down my left arm. Just like most on here, the dr's can't explain my left pec going flat as it has "nothing" to do with my c7 disc. I don't believe that for a second.

Hi All,

I have had muscle wastage of my left pectoral trapezius and weakness of trapezius and left shoulder for 10 years. Immediately upon noticing the change in physical appearance in 1999, I consulted a neurologist who diognosed a likely C5-C7 root or plexus lesion. Although, the MRI and EMG results were normal.

I both cases the longer you leave it the less likely the nerver will return to full normal function. The best way to test the nerve hypothesis is to so EMG studies which are easier enough to organise through your neurologist. I would want to be certain what is actually causing the impingement and where exactly. MRI gives a lot of false positives.

Pain is NOT a feature of nerve root pressure. Weakness and altered (often reduced) sensation is so pain need not be an indicator of the issue being in the cervical spine.

For the record this is the innervation of the PEC major. This is an implication for the neck! Innervation: lateral and medial pectoral nerves; clavicular head (C5 and C6), sternoclavicular head (C7, C8, and T1).

So with weak triceps: Innervation: radial nerve (C6, C7, and C8) you have comm issues with C6 and C7 there. Also a weak triceps will mean you will get some inhibition to contraction of the pec due to the brains perception of possible injury. Hence a secondary route to muscle wasting in that area.

[ccln55]

I am very glad to have found this page.

I have been training for around 9 years. Approx 5 years ago I injured my right shoulder doing lying overhead dumbell rows. Aching and griding in the shoulder joint for sometime afterwards. Eventually the pain stopped so I was able to start taining at full strength again but still alot of grinding/popping in the right shoulder. No pain.

Within the last year or so, I started to lose the 'pump' in my right pec. I could feel it at first, (lack of blood flow to pec) but soon after, right pec atrophy became very noticable. Particular imbalance through tricep push/pull downs, and any chest exercise. Even lat pull downs, dips and chins it becomes very apparent!! Also experiencing loss of right pec control. What a nuicance! Nerve damage? Would that be serratus anteroir?

Particular imbalance issues after waking up or lying for long peroids of time as well, suggesting blood flow issues to right pec perhaps?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[MarkUp]

It was great to find this thread. I have the exact story many of you have told. Terrible pain in the right back/shoulder that went away in a week and then a rapid loss of strength in the right tricep, lat and pec. Bench press went from 300lbs. ten reps to 120lbs. 3 reps. Could no longer do any dips, but full strength in both arms with curls.

Had PT for 5 weeks that helped alot. MRI, EMG, Orth exam and neurologist. Slight bulge in C7. Had a ful shot two week before initial symptoms.

Problem began in January and it is 6 months since then. Still have atrophy in right pec, long tricep and right lat, but strength is returning. No reaccurance of pain. I no longer do any behind the neck excersies and haven't done any bench press in the last 6 months (Too embarassing at the gym). I do dumbell work out instead.

Been lifting for the last 34 years, so I wasn't going to stop now. Never a sick day in my life and no injuries. (Been very fortunate) In the gym 5 days a week. It is frustrating as the right side is still weaker, but I am seeing slow improvements. I use Creatine Monohydrate and that seems to help (I see a difference if I stop using it for more than three days).

I really believe I will get my full strength back and the atrophy is diminishing, but I am realistic and believe this is probably a two year journey.

My doctor agreed that its probably a combination of C7 and possibly Parsonage Turner Syndrome. He stated that he is seeing alot more of this type of problem over the last 18 months. If I had to bet...it was the flu shot. Next year I choose the flu instead of the shot.

One good note...my Doctor put me on Predisone for two weeks at the beginning when the pain started. It turns out that studies show that if you introduce Predisone at the first signs of Parsonage Turner Syndrome it lessens the severity of strength loss and atrophy and time it takes to recover is reduced...I hope that is the case with me.

Just thought I write in and give encouragement. It seems to happen to alot of people and if persistent it will get better.

[volleypolly]

I am glad I found this forum. I have a similar problem and it is getting me soooo frustrated. I suffered an upper back injury while doing a rowing exercise...it felt like a short pinch / crunch on my left rhomboid. What followed was an intense pain that went from the injured area down to my left forearm. That was then followed by a tingling sensation across my left arm and down to my index finger. This lasted for about 3 months during which I never went to the doctor mostly because, aside from the pain, I didn't notice any loss of strength (and yes...being stubborn I never listed to my wife's advice to visit a doctor : ) Then I got a back massage and that is when the real problems started. The day after the massage my upper back (left side), left shoulder, and left forearm started aching and, although the pain lasted for no more than a couple of days, I started experiencing a substantial loss in strength (more or less 40% loss) in my left tricep and left pectoral muscle (upper part). Four months after the day of the injury I still feel rather weak (...still not listening to my wife...I refuse to go to the doctor...poor wife : ) Now all pain is mostly gone with the exception of a tingling sensation I still experience on my index finger every now and then. I am 36 and about 220 and still exercising regularly. I hope to recover soon from this, but I will definitively change the way I train from now on...less weight, more reps. As a general advise, what would you recommend to facilitate the healing of the neurological system? Someone before said vitamin B (B12, B complex, other?). Anything else? Also, do you have any experience with electro-stimulation therapy (EST)? I have been thinking about buying an EST device for a long time (Compex seems to be a good brand). Any other supplement you would recommend? Thanks in advance for your help. Good luck everyone!