Left tricep and left pectoral muscle atrophy

[alexjpwest]

Hello all, I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice or reassurance. Apologies for the ramble in advance...


I'm 34 years of age and have trained in weight lifting for many years and I believe I have severe nerve damage which is causing muscle atrophy to my left pectoral muscle and my left tricep muscle.

12 weeks ago I was training in the gym and whilst on a shoulder press machine I ducked down to get my body into position and as i pushed up the left side I felt a pain between my left shoulder and spine.

Over the next few weeks I had very painful pins and needles all down my left arm which were sometimes so painful I had to walk around with my hand above my head as this was the only position that gave me some relief.

After a few weeks the pain subsided and I didn’t need pain killers but i still had/have slight pins and needles in the two fingers next to my thumb on my left hand.

at around week 2/3 I had 2 massages from a sports therapist who worked on my back, this offered some relief, I also had 2 visits to an osteopath who manipulated my upper spine on both occasions.

at week 8 I decided to go back to the gym and start some very light training, I concentrated on working my shoulders biceps and triceps, the weights I was using was minimal (2kg on bicep curls!) the following morning I woke and my left arm was locked in a bent position which took a day to stretch out again, I now believe this to be due to my non existent tricep muscle not being able to counter the pull of my bicep.

I switched to a few weeks of only training lower body thinking that my upper body just wasn’t ready yet.

A couple weeks ago I started training extremely light upper body and the strength from my left pec/tricep is not existent, I put this down to being because I hadn't used the muscles in a long time and they just needed time.

A week ago I noticed that my left tricep and pectoral muscle is pretty much non existent, I have always been quite muscular but I can now feel ribs on my left side and my tricep is now just mush.

There is no pain in my arm and I have full movement other than the pins and needles in my 2 fingers.

Mmy left bicep will still flex however when I try to flex my left tricep of pec muscle there is hardly any movement, there is a very slight movement so I'm hoping that means there is still some nerves travelling to it and it will repair itself.

My questions are, because am still able to slightly tense these muscles does it mean the nerves are not totally ruined and with time they will regrow and my muscle will return?

My main concern is I will be left with none existent chest and tricep muscle.

Is there any way I can speed up recovery? should I continue to try to stimulate the muscle with training?

I am now booked to have a mri as soon as the nhs does their job.

thank you.

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[sunitPhysio]

I read your description of your problem. In my opinion, you need electrical stimulation to triceps and pectorals muscles. To start with , use galvanic stimulation for a month or so. According to progression, then follow with the faradic stimulation. Consult your physiotherapist regarding this. Hope this will work

We Cater quality Physiotherapy.

Hello all, I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice or reassurance. Apologies for the ramble in advance...


I'm 34 years of age and have trained in weight lifting for many years and I believe I have severe nerve damage which is causing muscle atrophy to my left pectoral muscle and my left tricep muscle.

12 weeks ago I was training in the gym and whilst on a shoulder press machine I ducked down to get my body into position and as i pushed up the left side I felt a pain between my left shoulder and spine.

Over the next few weeks I had very painful pins and needles all down my left arm which were sometimes so painful I had to walk around with my hand above my head as this was the only position that gave me some relief.

After a few weeks the pain subsided and I didn’t need pain killers but i still had/have slight pins and needles in the two fingers next to my thumb on my left hand.

at around week 2/3 I had 2 massages from a sports therapist who worked on my back, this offered some relief, I also had 2 visits to an osteopath who manipulated my upper spine on both occasions.

at week 8 I decided to go back to the gym and start some very light training, I concentrated on working my shoulders biceps and triceps, the weights I was using was minimal (2kg on bicep curls!) the following morning I woke and my left arm was locked in a bent position which took a day to stretch out again, I now believe this to be due to my non existent tricep muscle not being able to counter the pull of my bicep.

I switched to a few weeks of only training lower body thinking that my upper body just wasn’t ready yet.

A couple weeks ago I started training extremely light upper body and the strength from my left pec/tricep is not existent, I put this down to being because I hadn't used the muscles in a long time and they just needed time.

A week ago I noticed that my left tricep and pectoral muscle is pretty much non existent, I have always been quite muscular but I can now feel ribs on my left side and my tricep is now just mush.

There is no pain in my arm and I have full movement other than the pins and needles in my 2 fingers.

Mmy left bicep will still flex however when I try to flex my left tricep of pec muscle there is hardly any movement, there is a very slight movement so I'm hoping that means there is still some nerves travelling to it and it will repair itself.

My questions are, because am still able to slightly tense these muscles does it mean the nerves are not totally ruined and with time they will regrow and my muscle will return?

My main concern is I will be left with none existent chest and tricep muscle.

Is there any way I can speed up recovery? should I continue to try to stimulate the muscle with training?

I am now booked to have a mri as soon as the nhs does their job.

thank you.