Improve Posture with Back Exercises - Pectus Excavatum

Pectus Excavatum, commonly referred to as sunken chest, is a congenital condition where the breastbone sinks inward, creating a noticeable depression in the chest. While it primarily affects the chest’s appearance, it can also influence posture, leading to rounded shoulders and a forward-leaning stance. Poor posture can exacerbate the visual effects of Pectus Excavatum and, in some cases, even impact lung and heart function.

Strengthening the back muscles can play a crucial role in addressing these posture issues. Targeted exercises improve the alignment of the spine, enhance chest expansion, and counteract the inward pull of the shoulders caused by weak or underused muscles. By focusing on strengthening the mid-back and shoulder girdle, individuals can create a more upright posture, which reduces the prominence of the chest deformity.

Rows and pull-apart exercises with resistance bands are particularly effective as they directly target the rhomboids and rear deltoids, the muscles responsible for drawing the shoulders back. Consistent practice can train the body to maintain an open chest and an upright position. In addition, prone Y or T lifts, performed by lying flat on the stomach and raising the arms in the shape of a Y or T, reinforce spinal support and counteract forward slumping. Stretching tight pectoral muscles alongside back strengthening exercises also facilitates better posture by loosening the muscles pulling the shoulders forward.

With regular practice and attention to form, back exercises help those with Pectus Excavatum improve their posture, reduce discomfort, and enhance confidence in their appearance. By aligning the body correctly, they can enjoy improved functionality and overall well-being, whether or not surgical correction is considered.

Also, feel free to learn more about Pectus Excavatum in Dogs.

Pectus Excavatum in Females | Sunken Chest in Girls

Pectus excavatum is a common chest deformity described as a sunken chest. Pectus excavatum in females is far less common so girls are unlikely to suffer from pectus excavatum compared to males. Boys tend to be born with pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum. A sunken chest in females comes with similar issues to the body. Increased heart rate, fatigue, and back-related problems have been reported.

Pectus excavatum in females can occur within 1 to 2,000 cases of births. The symptoms are very similar to their male counterparts. Females have a sunken chest; its noticeable indentation may cause chest pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath. It may also cause self-esteem issues among younger teens and adults. Although not common, pectus excavatum in females can be fatal—most people who suffer from pectus excavatum are not in any danger. With pectus excavatum being less common in females, males are more likely to be diagnosed accurately. Given the nature of the development process of girls, it is far easier to diagnose a male with pectus excavatum. Animals have also been known to be diagnosed with pectus excavatum More about pectus excavatum in dogs!

There is still research to be made about pectus excavatum in females. Girls with sunken chests should continue to work out their torso and train their backs. As research continues, we will share more information related to pectus excavatum in females.

The Nuss Procedure and Dr. Donald Nuss

People generally search for rib flare or the nuss procedure after they've understood more about pectus excavatum, but many are unaware about who invented the Nuss Procedure.

Image of Dr. Donald Nuss

The Nuss Procedure was invented by Donald Nuss in 1986 as a more efficient and non-invasive surgery, essentially replacing the Ravitch Procedure and its modifications, which dominated the field for pectus excavatum surgeries. The Ravitch Procedure required the removal of skin and some muscles of the chest to access the rib cage cartilage (the Ravitch Procedure is actually a modification of the first Pectus Excavatum surgery committed by Ferdinand Sauerbruch). The biggest revolutionary act were small incisions on the rib cage to allow a metal bar to be inserted and turned 180 degrees to press the chest further (which was suggested in earlier attempts and in modifications of the Ravitch Procedure), thus not needing to further damage the chest in order to complete the surgery.

German Surgeon | Ferdinand Sauerbruch

The Nuss Procedure was a major modification, but influenced by earlier surgeons who also believed that cutting too much muscle or cartilage was inefficient. Some earlier surgeons committed the surgery on very young children, but later on, years before the Nuss Procedure was developed by Nuss, surgeons overwhelmingly agreed to wait for surgery until after puberty.

Pectus Excavatum and Scoliosis In Teens

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine and is often associated with those diagnosed with pectus excavatum. It's important to mention that being diagnosed with scoliosis and pectus excavatum is a mere coincidence. There is no significant evidence that pectus excavatum can cause scoliosis, in fact, it is a mild catalyst but not a sole cause of the curvature, it may be caused by other factors.

Is There A Link Between Scoliosis and Pectus Excavatum?

From the understanding that I've come across, pectus excavatum cannot cause scoliosis directly. Scoliosis has been seen to be developed in many ways and can even be genetic. Teenagers are more likely to get scoliosis than any other group, however, adults may also develop scoliosis from natural degeneration. The scoliosis developed in those with pectus excavatum may have come from incorrect posture during younger years of life. If the curvature is less than 20 degrees, surgery is not needed however stretches will help. If the curvature of the spine is above 20 degrees, you may need to wear a corrective back brace or proceed with a surgery. Some children are born with scoliosis (congenital scoliosis).

If you already have scoliosis, it is possible to slow the progression of scoliosis through stretches and corrective braces, but do not take it as a cure. (this article is subject to change with updated information)

Exercises Will Not 'Cure' Pectus Excavatum

I should reaffirm with everyone that exercising (doing push-ups and bench presses) will not cure your chest.

I've been getting many comments (in Spanish and English [with occasional Portuguese]) asking how to 'Cure' Pectus Excavatum. Quite frankly, there is no 'Cure', as of yet, there are pectus excavatum braces you can buy and surgeries you can do which will improve the aesthetic look of your chest (Surgery is the best lasting option), however there is no cure for such a deformity.

Many need to understand that this is essentially a birth defect and it worsens with age. Pectus excavatum is passed genetically, it's inherent in us with varying effects on our health, depending on its severity. You really can't cure something like that unless we're genetically modified or something interesting such as that.

Exercises are just a catalyst to get you motivated and healthy, many of us need to inspire ourselves, and yes there are lasting effects for your chest that can help ease your mental stress off self conscious thoughts, but as much as exercising is great for us it will NOT provide lasting health benefits nor pop our chest "back into place".

Exercises are here to raise your emotional state and if you're not suffering a severe case of Pectus Excavatum you CAN improve your chest and ease the pressure. 

If you can get past emotional trauma or self conscious thoughts living with pectus excavatum then it really isnt that much of a problem. If it does cause to feel fatigued early on or if it's severe to the point of affecting your health in the long run then I do recommend surgery.

Exercises are not a replacement for doctor recommendations, but know that exercises do help but its a mild fix in comparison to the alternatives.

Celebrity Baseball Player Also Had Pectus Excavatum

When we think of athletes we think of strong men, perfectly chiseled women, people who you would think never have had major issues, but of course we're all human.

Everyone has something, could be weird, quirky, or just unfortunate things but what comes from these individuals, in all their uniqueness, can be exactly what we need? Peace of mind, inspiration, someone to look up to maybe! We forget that at the end of the day the ones we owe our identity to, or our love and enthusiasm, have also their own struggles to live through, but no matter. 

Tim Melville is an example of this, a young semi-pro athlete who was born with Pectus Excavatum. He progressed after much pain after his surgery (Nuss procedure) and worries from his parents about his chest but stayed focused on his goals to become a minor-league athlete and pressing forward to achieve a Major League title.

Currently he's signed under Cincinnati's minor league and was invited to training by the Professional MLB team the Cincinnati Reds!

If you would like to read more about Tim Melville then click here!

Plastic Surgery For Pectus Excavatum

Living with a severe case of pectus excavatum can be very tiresome or even sometimes very unwelcoming.

The fatigue, the tiredness, sore chest, etc. there could be a whole range of issues that you would probably like to overcome, but sometimes workouts just are not enough. You could be training for months, maybe even years (not to discourage you but be real) if you're truly worried about your chest and you wish to improve it then I highly recommend you speak to your doctor! Speaking to a professional would be better than just looking around forums, or YouTube (even though I do make them, cough cough).

I made this blog to help people who have pectus excavatum, mainly this is a personal blog for people who don't necessarily want to go through the whole surgery process, but would like some encouragement or support from people who avoided surgery. Some are discouraged from surgery because of money, or just fear of the surgery itself (which is understandable) but don't be foolish.

Plastic Surgery For Pectus Excavatum

There are several surgeries available for pectus excavatum which are quite effective and you can ask your doctors about them, or click the links for more details on what these procedures are and their potential costs (without insurance).

Ravitch Procedure: open surgery

Nuss Procedure: closed surgery, minimally invasive

Pectus Excavatum Chest Pain

Pectus Excavatum based chest pains occur every so often due to many factors. Chest pains may come from lack of exercise, or over stretching of the chest during exercise routines, etc. For pre-surgical treatment, chest pains for individuals diagnosed with Pectus Excavatum, the causes of pain is still being researched. Doctors are unsure of the direct cause of the chest pains, but overwhelmingly doctors agree to suggest that bad posture correlates to more chest pain over time.

• Consult with a doctor if pains become worse and persist

With our chest already pressing against our hearts, it forces our body to increase our heartbeat to compensate for the added pressure. It is essentially similar to having someone press against your chest everyday since birth. This does have a negative effect on stamina and if you're not hydrated and loose, you may experience further pain.

I recommend sincerely to:

• drink plenty of water!
• Stretch your chest often, but be careful not to strain yourself!

Possible To Get Six Pack? | Pectus Excavatum

Being diagnosed with Pectus Excavatum makes bulking up quite a task, if you have a caved in chest then more than likely you have rib flare. Rib flare isnt necessarily an eyesore but many people are self conscious of their abs.

I recently asked on Reddit for a topic to cover and the (only) one I received was "Is it physically possible to get a six pack with [Pectus Excavatum]"?

Short answer: Of course it's possible.

Long Answer: Its possible but living with Pectus Excavatum puts us in a unique situation. Having a caved in chest abnormally increases our heart rates by adding pressure against the heart and thus adding extra unneeded strain on us. The stress coupled with a much higher metabolism, and the appearance of the body discourages many individuals from recreational sports.

Getting six pack abs is a balance between healthy eating and metabolic upkeep, and diligent exercises. Maintaining good upkeep is essential, it may take an extra burger and a salad to see physical gains. If you're already very skinny with Pectus Excavatum, you must eat heavily while working out hard.

It's quite a daunting task to get "nice abs" even without Pectus Excavatum and flared ribs, but with a caved in chest, the goal post is a little harder to reach. It's worth it to make it your goal.

If you're curious about surgery for your chest then click here!

Pectus Excavatum Gym

Welcome to the Pectus Excavatum Gym, where I share my most recommended general routines that you can try to help fix Pectus Excavatum. If you're curious about surgery for your chest then feel free to learn more!

Join the gym, and comment below to subscribe to the discussion using Google+!

Fix Rib Flare Exercises

• Stretches, make sure you stretch!
• Pushups are heavily important overall, I recommend building up to 100 Push ups a week.
• Crunches are priority, daily I recommend 100 crunches. Quality vs quantity, do the crunch movements slowly instead of in quick succession. Be sure to breathe accordingly as you are moving!
• Side Bends, there are many variations of side bends; Side Bends generally target the obliques, this can help with the upper most part of the abs and the most highest point of rib flare, 
• Squats, this is mostly for balancing and practicing good posture. Building up the legs and finding good form will benefit your general cardio as well.

Fix Pectus Excavatum

• Stretches, they must be apart of your routine before and after a workout, course refresh a little bit between sets.
• Pushups, Variations of pushups can include inclined, and one handed pushups, 3 sets of 25 a day can suffice. One hundred a day challenge is always a welcomed challenge.
• Crunches, 3 Sets of 20 a day.
• Side Bends, 50 reps a day.
• Squats, 30 a day.

If by any chance you have any suggestions, or concerns regarding training and exercising then feel free to comment below! I'm open to expand this page with information and workout routines that you all provide. Thanks for helping us inform everyone of alternatives!

Pectus Excavatum Symptoms In Infants

What are the symptoms for Pectus Excavatum in infants?

As any mother or father concerned with the health of their child, with any kind of deformity or lack thereof, there are underlying questions and anxieties that may come around, especially for someone's first baby; Pregnancy itself is a worry. There's nothing to worry so heavily about your infant. Overall, the condition is not fatal, I haven't seen many studies regarding a correlation of death and this chest deformity. On the flipside, if you have an animal who suffers with the same deformity, say Pectus Excavatum in dogs and cats, the chances of it being fatal are greatly increased. I'd be more worried of my dog than my child with Pectus Excavatum.

Pectus Excavatum Symptoms In Infants

For infants, their growth will likely not be stunted in anyway, however there may be some worries psychologically/emotionally as your child grows older. You might also notice that your child is less energetic or is easily fatigued. I'll gladly share with you some tips from my perspective of having this chest deformity at the end! :)

Cosmetic Symptoms

• What's blatantly noticeable as a symptom of Pectus Excavatum is the undeveloped costal cartilage, what generally people call a 'Hole In Chest' or the Funnel Chest. This is a cosmetic abnormality that often has health symptoms. The costal cartilage are not able to fully develop or they grow abnormally, and it leaves your child's sternum sunken. Rarely, it will occur on one side of the chest.
• Rib Flare is the protrusion of the ribs farther out than the chest and this is most commonly found not in infants, and is in common with women who are pregnant. As the fatness of your child's chubby cheeks go away, rib flare begins to form as their metabolism rises. You'll likely see stretch marks, or slight bruising of the pectorals, lower back and/or abdominals/obliques (to note, many teens have stretch marks when they hit puberty). Exercising may cause more temporary marks as well.
• 'Stand up straight'! Classic words from my pops; I thought I was walking fine. :p You can consider slouching a natural state for most people already, however this is very unhealthy for everyone as a whole.

Health Symptoms

• Fatigue or shortness of breath seems to be universal with this condition. Sports and general cardio will likely be a strain, but doable!
• As your child ages and becomes more active, chest pains may become seldom occurrences depending on the severity of the chest.
• The psychology field has grown and expanded and as new studies come out about how heavily our childhood affects our personalities, something to consider in the long term, we can only be so anxious. Anxiety, specifically social anxiety of revealing the chest does occur in some individuals.
• Few have a naturally quicker heart rate, however during times of workouts, fatigue kicks in. The heart has to work harder to push the same amount of blood than an average person would.

Pectus Excavatum Parenting Suggestions

I am no parent, although I would love to be one someday, but me and my father were diagnosed with Pectus Excavatum. Quite interesting, my father kept a positive outlook in things and he let me play soccer for a few seasons (it ended for unrelated reasons). My experiences are my own so hopefully I can make some positive suggestions on parenting.

• Be positive and encouraging... this should be self explanatory with any child. Don't belittle your creative child, instead give em a cookie when they do things you like (Operant Conditioning approved!), but most of all care for their wishes and dreams.
• With your positive flow climbing, encourage fitness and exercising, of course mixing stretches! Kids naturally have high energy, so what happened to you?
• Healthy eating is a must, and if you really want to quell off rib flare, there's nothing better than gaining a few pounds. Naturally, your child's metabolism will be very high and a stressed heart doesn't help.
• Braces and posture correctives are very useful!

Now for whatever reason if you cannot afford surgery, be sure to contact a doctor for check ups and any recommendations for pain if there is any. Researches are working on better health equipment and as Pectus Excavatum awareness grows we can help solve more health mysteries. With your help you can share this to your friends, and feel free to comment below about your experiences!

Pectus Excavatum in Women

Although rare for women; Ladies have also been diagnosed with Pectus Excavatum. It similarly causes the same problems as men who were diagnosed, however during pregnancy there is a higher worry of cardiac arrest during labour. This may also cause issues for the child, and may put both the mother and the child at risk.

Generally speaking, all other symptoms are shared, and depending on the severity of Pectus Excavatum it may be quite bothersome for ladies. Rib flare is far more common for ladies with Pectus Excavatum, however the concave chest itself looks relatively fine.

Regular exercises and stretches will benefit the ladies as well.

Mild and Severe Pectus Excavatum

When it comes to Pectus Excavatum people worry and worry about their own condition. They worry about whether if theirs is a mild form or a more severe deformity that may require chest surgery immediately!

Pectus Excavatum Exercise Video | Rib Flare 2015

I had created a video back in late 2014 about Pectus Excavatum, it was one of my most successful videos on my channel (and still is), I've noticed that it could be improved more so I made some small changes (it is still the same length).

I made these changes to help me push myself higher in the search rankings (on Google itself), in the hopes I can drive more eyes from all parts of the world. I've received tremendous feedback in the comment section of my old video, so I decided to rework the video. I plan on making more videos, but once I get a much better camera!

If you would like me to reach that point then be sure to subscribe to my channel. You can show your support literally by just playing any playlist on my channel! If you would like to see the updated version of the video, feel free to take a look!

Blog Progression, New YouTube Channel

This blog has been growing steadily every month, I see that there are many people from multiple backgrounds stopping by not only here, but also on my youtube channel as well. I've been doing my best to provide useful information to people who live with Pectus Excavatum. I've provided subtitles on my videos, and correcting any of the ones with the wrong translations and so far it has helped me reach more people across the globe curious about this subject.

This has led me to start thinking a little more on where I want this blog to go. The steady traffic has been wonderful and I have a subscriber's just waiting for me to post more but I'm always looking for suggestions.

Experience With Cannabis | Pectus Excavatum Treatment

Like many times throughout high school I met a couple friends that tend to hang with some other friends that know people that can get their hands on drugs; Alcohol, for when you're underage or flat out illicit drugs. I will not pretend, I sure as hell had my fun. I smoked cigarettes, weed, drank; not to gloat or anything but it was a lifestyle choice I made even though I was living with Pectus Excavatum. So this is what I have endured with my time smoking cannabis with a hole in my chest.

Flared Ribs Braces For Pectus Excavatum

If you're wondering how to fix the appearance of Pectus Excavatum to your best ability without surgery then there are countless exercises that you can do, but most importantly your best allies are stretches (oh fun). Limbering up is essential for positive growth without straining! The goal here is to stretch your chest to condition the cartilage that is attached to the sternum and ribs to be in good posture. If you're worried about your specific case and severity please contact a physician and ask about the Nuss Procedure and other Pectus Excavatum surgeries available.

Stretching is king if you want to fix the appearance of Pectus Excavatum!

Posture Fixes for Pectus Excavatum

Posture Aids and Fixes

I have not used any kind of posture aids for my flared ribs, however there have been many people who have used them to correct their posture. For many different reasons people have purchased these correctives and have seen overwhelmingly very positive results for these products. People have improved their breathing, stamina, and even strength. Very noticeable improvements in energy, and pleasure. It's worth looking into and also there are braces available specifically made for Pectus Excavatum! (Remember to find the right size!)

Stretches For Pectus Excavatum

I generally like to stretch my chest by leaning back slightly and then retracting my arms back as If i'm getting my soul sucked out of me (Idk how better to describe it, lol) and then moving slowly in a straight posture forcing my arms to stay back extending out my chest. Sometimes I hear a popping sound when I do this and I notice I can breathe slightly better than before, however when I did this the first couple of times I noticed my chest feeling strained and then sore after a while, and I've seen small improvements by stretching with this technique alone when I feel lazy. You also workout your back muscles as you do this as you continue doing repetitions or attempting to hold that erect position for long periods of time. Be careful not to over stretch, and if you have a bad back proceed at your own risk.

Wall chest stretch's are useful as well, you want to stretch out your arms and chest to condition it. To do this stretch you press your arm against a wall and stand erect. You twist your body moving forward with the shoulder of the arm you had resting on the wall. Its a simple stretch as most are, and can really get deep in your chest! Of course be careful!

Pectus Excavatum Without Surgery, Only Exercises!

Why I Lived With Pectus Excavatum Without Surgery

To me living with this condition and knowing that there are surgeries available for me, and then taking into account the change in the health insurance system by the Affordable Care Act here in the USA. I did not really find that committing into the Nuss Procedure (or the Ravitch Procedure) was a real priority. I have been hospitalized once before, and have met people who have struggled to get care because of delays or too many people waiting for other patients. I personally didn't want to involve myself into an even tougher system.

Sure sometimes I'm a burden to some people (lol), but to take it to surgery when I am confident in my health currently didn't really seem like a great plan. Of course I have no problem with people who have, its your choice but I'd rather wait to continue pushing myself.

Its always just something I do.

Pectus Excavatum In Dogs Fatal!

It appears that the man's best friend suffers from a very similar chest deformity. Pectus Excavatum is the number one congenital chest deformity for young males. Veterinarians and physicians have concluded that this deformation is also found in dogs (and rarely in cats), which is far more severe for our canine friends. Pectus excavatum is not common but can be fatal in dogs.

NUSS Procedure Cost | Pectus Excavatum

Pectus Excavatum Sternum Surgery: The Nuss Procedure

The Nuss Procedure was developed in 1987 by Dr. Donald Nuss as a minimally invasive procedure for people living with Pectus Excavatum. The Nuss procedure is a popular sunken chest sternum surgery which takes approximately 2 hours to complete as it requires two incisions on one side of the chest developed by Dr. Donald Nuss. An introducer is carefully inserted within, along with a stainless steel bar in order to press against the sternum which positions the sternum away from the heart and emulating a chest without Pectus Excavatum. Over the course of two years you will be able to remove the stainless steel bar from your chest.