Aviat Space Envir Md
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Jan 2004
Case ReportsRupture of the pectoralis major muscle in a paratrooper.
Rupture of the pectoralis major muscle is a very rare injury. Excessive contraction of muscle fibers during certain forms of sports, such as weightlifting and bench pressing, is the most common cause. Among the 150 reported cases in the literature, in only 1 case did the injury happen during the landing phase of parachuting. ⋯ The patient was satisfied with the treatment and the dynamometric results were good at 9 mo after injury and at the end of a 20-mo follow-up period. We suggest that three-phase rehabilitation can be an effective treatment option for pectoralis major muscle rupture in selected patients. Prevention of this type of altitude injury would be possible by applying the fundamentals of parachuting.