BACKGROUND Diagnosis of pectoralis major tears early in the acute phase is important for optimizing surgical repair and outcomes. However, physical examination of pectoralis major injuries can be misleading, often resulting in a potentially detrimental delay in surgical treatment. PURPOSE To establish and validate a quantifiable clinical diagnostic test for structurally significant pectoralis...

Pectoralis major (PM) muscle is the powerful dynamic stabiliser of the shoulder that acts as a flexor, adductor and internal rotator. The rupture of the PM tendon is a relatively rare injury that was firstly described in a French boy by Patissier in 1822 and later, in 1861, by Letenneur who reported another similiar case. To date, over 200 cases have been published. In this article we describe ...

Pectoralis major (PM) ruptures are uncommon injuries, although they are becoming more frequent. We report a case of a PM rupture in a young male who presented with axillar pain and absence of the anterior axillary fold after he perceived a snap while lifting 200 kg in the bench press. Diagnosis of PM rupture was suspected clinically and confirmed with imaging studies. The patient was treated su...

The treatment of pectoralis major tendon ruptures has been the subject of much debate. The classical history of the injury is forced abduction and external rotation. The cases of two patients (an amateur rugby union player and a recreational snowboarder) are reported. The diagnosis was made by clinical examination in both patients, and both were operated on more than two weeks after injury. Aft...

Pectoralis major injuries typically occur in active individuals participating in manual labour or sports. While these injuries are rarely reported, the actual incidence of pectoralis tears among all shoulder injuries is unknown. Diagnosis can usually be made based on a patient's history and physical examination. However, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging are helpful tools for diagnosis ...