Workouts make you feel energized. But have you ever felt pain after a workout. Most of us will complain of pain emerging from the sternum. Let us check some facts about the same, below.
Nowadays, everybody is health conscious. With more and more health conscious lifestyles, working out has become a religious routine for most of us. After a workout, have you felt a pinch in your chest or a strange pain in the chest. Ever wondered about the possible causes of this pain and particularly after some exercise. We will discuss some facts about this issue that is called sternum pain after exercise. Firstly, let us understand about sternum and a little on anatomy, that will give you a clearer picture of things.
The sternum is also called the breast bone, located in the middle of the chest. It is flat in shape and serves as a junction where the ribs join in the front. Simply put, it is a T-shaped bone that you can easily feel in the middle part of the chest. Now this sternum serves as the shield for all the vital organs. There are many times when you will feel pain in the breast bone. Sometimes, there will not be a prolonged pain, and it will fade away easily. However, there are some cases that can hint to various other issues that cause the pain. We will specifically understand some facts on sternum pain after workouts, that will help you with the possible causes of this issue.
Causes of Pain in Sternum
When you exercise, a lot of wear and tear of the muscles and joints takes place. Exercising exhibits your body to stretch and work out to its capacities. Most of the causes of this pain will be related to your workouts. Others will be related to any problems with the sternum.
The most common causes of sternum pain after a workout are:
- Costochondritis – In simple words, this can be called an injury or inflammation. In this condition, the rib cartilage tissues are inflamed and swollen. This is a common cause that will result in pain and difficulty in breathing too. The other possibility is an infection, like viral respiratory infections in the sternum. A proper diagnosis can help in treatment.
- Injury from Exercise – As mentioned above, exercise will pull and stretch your muscles. An injury due to the swift twists and pulls can hurt and injure the cartilage.
- Fracture of the Sternum – A sternum fracture is very uncommon. It will rarely be the cause. It will only happen in cases where you overstress the upper body during a workout, and that causes an injury or trauma.
- Injured and Broken Collarbone – A collarbone fracture and injury is common due to any fall or exercise. The area around the collarbone will be swollen and there will be pain in the sternum.
- Shoulder Injury – Any injury to the shoulder that causes damage or dislocates the collarbone (clavicle) and the sternum can cause a pain in the sternum after exercises.
Sometimes, pain can also be felt during the exercises. The main causes for chronic pain in sternum during exercises are, when pain is felt like a sharp pinch on the sternum, a heart disease is a possibility. It happens in people of all ages. In case of radiating pain, that is if the pain radiates from the food pipe or lungs, but is felt like pain in the sternum. Pain in the sternum sometimes can be unexplained and may have other causes too. Any surgery and even tumor can cause chest pain. Sternum pain is often confused with heart attacks and heart complications. At times, this may not be the case, however, the best way is to get it checked with a doctor.
The diagnosis may include tests and X-rays that will determine the exact issue. Prescriptions like rest and surgery are possible treatments. It is more advisable to take proper care when exercising. Make sure you do not overstress your muscles, and also follow the proper way to perform any workout. Exercising sure makes a healthy body, but too much of anything is bad. So a right time and right procedure to exercise will surely save a rib.
