Chest muscle pull or capsular contracture? (Photo)

From what you describe, it sounds like you have pulled a chest muscle doing pull-ups and lifting weights. A pulled muscle should resolve with muscle rest and ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory. Capsular contracture occurs over weeks to months and is the result of scar tissue that forms gradually around the implant. The scar tissue squeezes and distorts the appearance of the implant and gradually results  in increased pain. Hope that helps to explain!

From what you are describing, it does sound like you may have strained the muscle.  These can take a long time to heal.  I recommend light massage a few times a day and using a heating pad as needed.  Use Advil/ Motrin/ Alleve as well for the anti-inflammatory effects.  Avoid any chest exercises for a month and allow the muscle to heal.  It does not sound like CC, but if the entire breast becomes firmer over time, make sure to have a follow up examination.  I hope this helps.

Thank you for sharing your question and photograph and I am sorry to hear of your upper chest discomfort.  Based on your narrative it seems most likely that a muscle pull or spasming caused the pain and it should improve given time, rest, and therapy.  If you have felt a hardening of your left implant then I would discuss this finding with your surgeon.  Hope this helps.

Hi pooltime2,

Capsular contracture is a condition that occur when the tissue surrounding the implant area tightens and contracts around the implant, resulting in unnaturally firm, distorted breast shapes that can sometimes be painful.

Correction generally requires removal of the implant, removal of the scar tissue, pocket repair, and fat grafting or new implant placement. If caught early enough, capsular contracture can sometimes be improved with medication and massage techniques.

We do not know what exactly causes capsular contracture but we do know several evidenced based techniques that can be used to prevent it from happening in the first place and to help prevent it from coming back for revision cases.

It would be best to visit a board certified plastic surgeon for proper assessment. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.

Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS

Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery

Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery

Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

I'm leaning toward a pulled muscle. Everything you're describing is typical for that diagnosis, but the only way to be sure is to see your doctor. I'd start Advil or something like that and not do any lifting until you feel better... Good luck!

Hi and thank you for the question. Based on your description it sounds like a muscle injury. You may have torn it, leading the muscle to go into spasm which can make it feel firm. You may have also caused a small amount of bleeding which can make the area feel firm. Capsular contracture doesn't come on that fast. It also makes the entire breast feel firm rather than a focal area. I would suggest that you see your plastic surgeon when you can.
Dr West

Thank you for your question. The symptoms your are describing are more consistent with a pulled muscle. The treatment for that would just be to rest he muscle and take ibuprofen. Capsular contracture to the degree of causing pain usually is associated with hardening and displacement of the implant. However, one thing to consider and be cautious of is when a muscle is pulled, there can be a small tear in the capsule that can cause some bleeding in the pocket that can eventually lead to capsular contracture formation. I would have close follow up with your plastic surgeon for exams to make sure everything feels appropriate as you heal.

Thank you for your question. More likely muscle pull. I recommend you to see a local physician for evaluation, as most of the time CC diagnosed clinically