I’m a poor uninsured grad student who lifts weights in his backyard. I think I injured myself a bit today. I know I should go to a doctor - but I don’t really have that luxury without insurance. So, I’m hoping the more experienced lifters here might have likely a diagnoses and some advice.
First, my stats: I’m 30 years old. I’m 5’8" and about 205lbs; my bodyfat is around 25 - 30% (I know, I’m tubby - too much beer). My lifts: deadlift 390 for 3x5; squat A2G 265 for 3x5; overhead press 140 3x5; and bench press 240 3x5.
So, I’ve been doing Starting Strength for a month or two. I’ve also been dieting. Last Friday, I benched 240 3x5, but I felt a little pain/tightness in the front of my armpit, right where the pec and shoulder meet. I was a little worried, so I stayed at 240… today, I still felt a little pain/tightness in the same spot, and as I was in the middle of my second set, at the top of the third rep, I felt two or three little pops, right where it was sore (again, front of the armpit, where the pec and shoulder meet). It didn’t hurt - but it freaked me out. So, I cut my workout short.
Now, two hours later, my left shoulder hurts a bit. Oddly, it aches on top of the shoulder, near the collarbone. Also, if I put my hands together in a praying position and push my palms together, it hurts where it was sore, in the front of the armpit. I don’t see any discolor. Also, on my right side (not injured) there is a lump in the front of the armpit where the shoulder meets the bicep, like a tendon or muscle or something - but in my left armpit (injured) there is a deep indent, no lump.
After some googling, it seems I may have hurt (tore?) my coracobrachialis muscle.
So, what do you think I did? How would I know if I tore something? I sort of assume that, if I tore something, it is a partial tear, since it didn’t really hurt at first. What do I do now? I assume heavy bench press is out for a while… can I lift weights at all?
Any thoughts and/or experiences with an injury like this are appreciated!