Pectus excavatum (sunken chest) advice/discussion

So, I have a quick question—perhaps someone here has dealt with something similar. I have a minor deformity on the lower left side of my chest; since everything functions perfectly fine (meaning it’s purely an aesthetic issue), doctors aren't interested in wasting time on it... they just suggested I take up sports. That's all well and good, but exercises won't fix this kind of thing since the deformity is unilateral. Anyway, does anyone know if there's somewhere in the States where one can undergo a chest procedure strictly for cosmetic reasons?

It could work in a Suburban neighborhood too, plus some guy named Unknown opened an orthopedic clinic over at the Hospital for Special Surgery—you can find all the details right here http://fenix.javno.info/gn.php?m=1&r...1&kategorija=0

It could be a mild case of pectus excavatum—that inward sunken chest—or pectus carinatum, where it protrudes. If the deformity is minor, you might be able to mask it or improve the appearance through muscle development. Honestly, those gains aren't massive once you hit an older age, but they can be decent enough.

If we're talking about pectus excavatum, there are surgical options like minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques or the Nuss procedure. They insert a bar to reshape things; blood loss is minimal, scarring is almost nonexistent, and recovery is relatively quick. Once you're healed, you won't even notice the deformity anymore because the aesthetic results are significant and, obviously, permanent.

On the fitness side, swimming is a huge help.🙂

Thanks for the input. To clarify, we’re talking about pectus excavatum—specifically just the lower left side of the sternum. My chest is already pretty developed from training, so exercises won't do much there. It's not just the bottom of the sternum either; the left side of my abdominal muscle is also sunken in. Since there isn't a specific exercise to target just that one spot, I've decided to go under the knife... As for the Mayo Clinic, the waiting lists are massive, but apparently they perform this at Jordan without any wait at all... If all else fails, I might look into an unknown provider... Money talks everywhere, after all.

I'm curious if a pectus excavatum surgery can be covered by Medicare—and while we're at it, what kind of price tags are we looking at for this procedure, and which major US hospitals perform it? Thanks

Does anyone have any insight on this??

Of course it’s possible. If they determine there's an impact on the lungs or heart, they can perform the Nuss method on the rib—I believe they do that over at Jordan

So, I had this surgery back in the day to fix a little indentation on my chest, and everything went fine during the procedure itself.
But here’s the thing—in the upper middle part of my chest, it feels like there's just a total void where muscle should be. It isn't super obvious to everyone else, but it drives me absolutely insane because I hit the gym consistently. My outer pecs are growing just fine, but that center area looks like there's nothing there at all...
I had the operation when I was 14, and now I'm 21...
Is there any way for me to actually build up some muscle in that middle section at my age? What kind of exercises should I be focusing on?
Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

In the middle? There isn't even any muscle there... 😁

I'm 15 years old and standing at about 5'7". I've got this indentation right in the center of my chest that’s becoming a massive headache for me. Honestly, the actual dip isn't even the main issue; the real problem is how much my ribcage protrudes around the edges—you can see exactly what I mean in the photo. It sticks out so much that it’s obvious even under a T-shirt, and if the sides weren't bulging like that, the central indentation wouldn't even look that dramatic. My question is: are there any orthopedic braces or devices out there that could actually help flatten this out, and is this something that can truly be corrected? Thanks in advance!

bluenomad10 said:I'm 15 years old and standing at about 5'7". I've got this indentation right in the center of my chest that’s becoming a massive headache for me. Honestly, the actual dip isn't even the main issue; the real problem is how much my ribcage protrudes around the edges—you can see exactly what I mean in the photo. It sticks out so much that it’s obvious even under a T-shirt, and if the sides weren't bulging like that, the central indentation wouldn't even look that dramatic. My question is: are there any orthopedic braces or devices out there that could actually help flatten this out, and is this something that can truly be corrected? Thanks in advance!

Generally speaking? Not really. There are places where they actually perform surgeries—like at the Hospital for Special Surgery—but even then, you won't find any orthopedic braces or devices that can truly level everything out. Honestly, most people just end up hitting the gym to work on their chest muscles, basically trying to use muscle mass to mask the underlying issue.

I stumbled upon something while I was digging around for solutions http://www.orthopectus.com.br/fmethod.htm and it occurred to me that this might actually be useful for my situation...

Hey everyone. So... I'm 5'10", 15 years old, and I've got this pit in my chest. It’s honestly weighing on me. Some people tell me I can fix it just by swimming and hitting the gym, but then others say that's impossible—that it's just how my muscles are shaped naturally. Just wondering if anyone here knows anything about this? Thanks.

I'm 16 years old, and ever since I hit my growth spurt, I've been dealing with this uneven chest development. I'm looking for anyone who has dealt with something similar to reach out and let me know how you fixed it. Right now, I'm grinding through this workout routine every single day:

100 pushups
25 knee pushups
25 chair dips
20 resistance band stretches
10 reps of abdominal bracing while holding my breath for about 1.5 seconds

I really need to know if there's a way to actually correct this, whether it’s surgery or some other medical procedure. Thanks a lot. I've scoured the internet, but I can't find anything useful anywhere.

I'm 16... please, I just need some help here...

Basically, I want to know about treatment options or surgery, and I'd appreciate hearing from people who have actually lived through this or are currently going through it.

I went to see a doctor, and her only advice was to "just swim more and it'll go away." Seriously? My town doesn't even have an indoor pool, so that's not exactly helpful... 😢..

The technical terms are pectus excavatum and pectus infundibuliforme.

Yes, there is a surgical option available. The real question, though, is whether you actually need it. If you've been dealing with pectus excavatum since puberty, it might just be a minor structural variation rather than something requiring intervention. My advice? Head over to your primary care physician, grab a referral, and schedule an appointment with an orthopedic specialist at a place like the Hospital for Special Surgery. They can give you a proper evaluation and walk you through all your options. 😉

I’ve been digging through the internet and YouTube lately, and I stumbled upon some pretty intense info on how people dealing with my specific issue can actually fix it.
First off, you need to know your Haller index. It’s basically the ratio between your ribs and the depth of your chest—you don't want that number going over 3.25. Anything higher than that is considered an advanced case, meaning a much deeper indentation. You usually need a CT scan to get an accurate measurement. This deformity hits about one in every 1,000 people, and it typically starts showing up during puberty. Most people living with this probably had an ancestor with it, too—it runs in families. The actual hollow looks like someone took a steel ball to your chest, affecting three or four ribs.
It isn't just an aesthetic nightmare; people with this condition often deal with shortness of breath and lower stamina compared to everyone else. It takes a toll on your mental health, too—depression is way more common in those struggling with this.
If you just ignore it and keep living like that, you risk heart murmurs or even having your heart physically shift or rotate in your chest because there’s just no room left in the cavity.
Just a heads-up: you can't "work out" your way out of this. No amount of swimming, stretching, or gym sessions will help because we're talking about bone structure, not muscle.
In the US, there are two main surgical approaches: the Nuss procedure and the Ravitch procedure.
The Nuss method is generally seen as the gold standard. They slide steel rods under the ribs to push the chest outward, and those rods stay in place for at least two years. After the surgery, you're looking at at least six months of zero physical activity.
Ideally, you want to get this done while you're young and before the chest wall hardens. As you get older, the procedure becomes significantly more painful, which is why fewer adults opt for it. I’m 23, so I’m technically late to the party, but I’m trying to figure out where and how I can finally get this corrected. The sweet spot is really between ages 8 and 13. Unfortunately, a lot of people—even doctors—don't realize how serious this actually is or why it needs to be handled ASAP. There's more detail on this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectus_excavatum

So, I'm 23 and I've been dealing with gynecomastia since I was a kid—back when I used to do free diving, which I was actually pretty decent at, I guess.

Anyway, getting straight to the point... I've been doing my homework, watching videos and reading up on everything, and the Nuss procedure seems like the most solid option to me. It doesn't leave that big scar right down the middle of your chest; instead, you just get two scars on the sides that basically blend right in. I'm wondering if anyone here has actually gone through it? Also, does anyone know where the best places to get this done are and what kind of damage we're talking about in terms of cost?😕

I’ve been dealing with pectus excavatum and some asymmetric rib depression, which seems more pronounced on my left side.
I'm thinking about seeing an orthopedic surgeon to figure out if getting the Nuss procedure is actually worth it, and whether it's safe to just do it here—I heard they perform it at the Mayo Clinic—or if I should really look into traveling abroad, maybe seeing Dr. Schaarschmidt in Berlin.
If anyone could recommend an orthopedist in Washington, D.C. who actually has experience handling this specific deformity, I’d really appreciate it. I suppose I wouldn't mind looking within the Democratic Party circles too.

I'm 16, and I've also dealt with chest indentations since I was about 9 or 10 years old.
If only it were just that—simple and easy. Because of that indentation, my ribs actually protrude, and honestly, it sends me into a depression quite often. I’m too ashamed to strip down in front of friends, and when I'm at the beach, I head straight for the water just so nobody sees me. My question is: how long will it take in the gym to at least "mask" this problem a little bit?

Could someone please walk me through this? I'm trying to figure out exactly which tests and scans I'll need to undergo, and more importantly, what the total damage is going to be? I mean, what is the full breakdown of costs including all the diagnostic results and every other associated expense?