Pectoralis major muscle rupture in athletes: a prospective study.
BACKGROUND
In the past 20 years, there has been an increase in the incidence of upper extremity tendinous injuries, especially in sports including strong physical activity, such as in weight lifting, as well as with the concurrent use of anabolic steroids. Today, there are more than 200 cases describing rupture of the pectoralis major muscle in athletes.


OBJECTIVE
Surgical treatment will have a better outcome than nonsurgical treatment in total rupture of the pectoralis major muscle in athletes.


METHODS
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.


METHODS
Twenty athletes with pectoralis major muscle (PMM) rupture were studied; 10 had surgical treatment, and the other 10 were treated nonoperatively. The mean age was 32.27 years (range, 27-47 years); all of them were men. The average follow-up was 36 months (range, 48-72 months). Injuries were diagnosed by history, physical examination, and subsidiary tests. Functional evaluation and isokinetic evaluation were performed on all 20 patients.


RESULTS
The clinical evaluation revealed 70% (n = 7) excellent, 20% good (n = 2), and 10% poor (n = 1) outcomes for the cases treated with surgery and 20% good (n = 2), 50% fair (n = 5), and 40% poor (n = 4) outcomes for the cases treated nonsurgically. The isokinetic evaluation at 60-deg/s speed showed a decrease in strength of 53.8% in the nonsurgical group and 13.7% for the surgical group.


CONCLUSIONS
Total PMM rupture in athletes showed a better functional result after surgical treatment than after nonsurgical treatment.
de Castro Pochini
Alberto
A
Federal University of São Paulo, Sports and Traumatology Center, R Pedro Toledo 394, São Paulo, 01408000 Brazil. apochini@uol.com.br
Ejnisman
Benno
B
Andreoli
Carlos Vicente
CV
Monteiro
Gustavo Cara
GC
Silva
Antonio Carlos
AC
Cohen
Moises
M
Albertoni
Walter Manna
WM
D000328:Adult; D045930:Anabolic Agents; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012421:Rupture / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013177:Sports; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult
D045930:Anabolic Agents