A 19-year-old female collegiate rower presented with a new, painful mass along her right anterolateral chest wall after competition. The patient was diagnosed with a rupture of the serratus anterior muscle from its costal attachments, as confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. The patient fully recovered after a period of rest followed by a graduated 2-month physical therapy regimen consisting of stretching and scapulothoracic and core strengthening. A traumatic rupture of the serratus anterior muscle should be suspected in athletes who present with a painful chest wall mass after exertion of large forces through the scapulothoracic region. Athletes can return to play after nonoperative management.
Burdett-SmithPDaviesMJ. A rupture of the serratus anterior. Arch Emerg Med. 1988;5:191.
2.
FitchetS. Injury of the serratus magnus (anterior) muscle. N Engl J Med. 1930;203:818-823.
3.
GaffneyKM. Avulsion injury of the serratus anterior: a case history. Clin J Sport Med. 1997;7:134-136.
4.
HayesJMZehrDJ. Traumatic muscle avulsion causing winging of the scapula. A case report. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1981;63:495-497.
5.
MazzoneT. Kinesiology of the rowing stroke. NSCA J. 1988;10(2):4-11.
6.
McDonnellLKHumePANolteV. Rib stress fractures among rowers: definition, epidemiology, mechanisms, risk factors and effectiveness of injury prevention strategies. Sports Med. 2011;41:883-901.
7.
OtoshiKItohYTsujinoAHasegawaMKikuchiS. Avulsion injury of the serratus anterior muscle in a high-school underhand pitcher: a case report. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2007;16:e45-e47.
