title: Pectoralis major muscle rupture in athletes: a prospective study.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, Sports and Traumatology Center, R Pedro Toledo 394, São Paulo, 01408000 Brazil. apochini@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Castro Pochini
authors.forename: Benno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ejnisman
authors.forename: Carlos Vicente
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Andreoli
authors.forename: Gustavo Cara
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Moises
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Walter Manna
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Albertoni
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents