Pain in your serratus muscle during pullups can be the sign of an injury or other underlying medical condition. Due to the intense muscle strain involved in a pullup exercise, any sharp pains in your body while performing the motion should not be taken lightly. If you continue to exercise with a muscle injury to your serratus, you can worsen the severity of your pain.
Anatomy
Your serratus muscle is located on top of your lateral rib cage on either side of your body and is positioned just underneath your armpit. This muscle helps in many different arm movements, including abduction, upward arm rotation and arm elevation. The serratus muscles originate from your ribs and insert into your shoulder blade, or scapula. An injury to this muscle can cause severe pain whenever you attempt to raise your arms, let alone support your full body weight as is the case during a pullup.
Nerve Compression
One potential injury that can affect your serratus muscle and ability to perform a pullup stems from a nerve being compressed along the muscle. Scapular winging is a condition that results from nerve compression along your serratus muscle and can be rather debilitating for your arm on the affected side, according to a study by Ryan M. Martin and David E. Fish published in "Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine." This condition usually resolves itself in a few months, according to Martin and Fish, but rare cases can require surgical intervention to correct.
Muscle Strain
A muscle strain is another potential cause of pain in your serratus muscle that can prevent you from performing a pullup. A muscle strain results from a twisting, turning, or pulling sensation in your muscle that causes a micro-tear in the muscle fibers. This injury can cause swelling, pain and loss of function in severe strain cases. Icing and resting your strained muscle is recommended for treatment.
Considerations
If you begin to feel pain in your armpit, ribcage or back while performing a pullup, stop exercising immediately and allow time to rest. Do not return to exercises related to this muscle group until you are pain free or cleared by your doctor. If pain persists for more than a few days, you may require medical treatment for an injury to your serratus muscle.
