Home remedies can also help with many of the long-term problems however bracing is the only effective therapy for pectus carinatum.1,2
Exercise by strengthening your chest, back, and core muscles is a key component in the treatment of pectus carinatum.3
Certain exercises like push-ups, Dumbbell pullover, Flat bench press, and vacuum bell therapy acts as the natural alternative to surgery for some patients.4
Home Remedies/Best Exercises/Activities For Pectus Carinatum
Most causes of pectus carinatum are often associated with genetics so children with chest wall deformities should be diagnosed early for optimizing better treatment. Treatment typically depends on the severity of the condition and its associated symptoms.
Brace therapy (mild to moderate cases) and Ravitch procedure (complex cases) are the most common form of treatment for pectus carinatum. However, in this blog, we will see the effects of exercise therapy on pectus carinatum patients.
Exercise Therapy For Pectus Abnormalities
Although exercise is one of the ways to treat pectus abnormalities, yet exercise might not sound easy as you think because this condition may cause.
- Breathing troubles and exhaustion
- Chest pain
- Decreased tolerance with exercise.
The primary objective of therapeutic exercises is to improve the pectus deformities and push/pull the protruding/sunken chest wall inward/outward. Based on several research and investigations, medical scientists have provided the directions for the design of the suggested exercise program.1,2
Exercise Program For Pectus Excavatum
Patients with pectus have bad posture, as well as impede the flexibility of the chest rising the aesthetic malformation. With suitable activities and exercises, they can enhance posture thereby developing agility and breathing functions. Therapists can help you understand the tensions in the areas that are targeted for increased chest expansions.
Active exercise as directed by the therapist can help improve posture corrections and expand the chest.3
Mobilizing And Stretching Exercise – Chest mobilization techniques are the original protocol used in chronic lung disease, which tends to cause poor posture however these techniques also help pectus abnormalities. Mobilization techniques are classified into two categories:
- Active chest mobilization techniques
- Passive chest mobilization techniques
These techniques aim is to improve thoracic mobility of all parts of the chest.
Push-Ups – The exercise is used to strengthen the muscle walls can be treated as a kind of stabilization exercise to the upper thorax. There are also exercise programs that are primarily oriented to straighten your back and pull the shoulders back. These programs can be done sometimes immediately after surgery, 2 weeks after surgery, and 3 months after surgery.
However, motivation and monitoring are very crucial, and the total exercise time should be no longer than 10 minutes. Most theories of non-invasive treatment are either retroactive or potential cases. In cases of potential trials, patients were instructed to perform chest wall strengthening exercises, but the effects of the exercises could not be tracked or gather evidence to prove they are effective. Although these exercise program doesn’t cure the abnormalities, yet it can improve the posture and prevent a recurrence.4
Pectus carinatum is a malformation that causes the chest to a have a pigeon shaped appearance and is essentially opposite to pigeon excavatum. Most of the abnormalities are asymmetric meaning they are symmetric and affect both sides of the cartilages.
Children get affected by this condition during their growth spurt and tend to worsen as their growth progresses. Although some children have pain and tenderness in the overgrown cartilage areas most children do not show any symptoms. Pectus carinatum is diagnosed through a physical exam and medical history.
- Stelter, Gretchen. “Pectus Excavatum Exercises: Improve Strength.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 28 Mar. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/pectus-excavatum-exercises
- “Pectus Carinatum (Pigeon Chest): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320836
- “Exercises for Pectus Excavatum: Best Bets, Getting Started, and More.” WebMD, WebMD, 19 Nov. 2020, www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/top-exercises-pectus-excavatum#1
- “Effects of Exercise Therapy on Pectus Carinatum – Full Text View.” Full Text View – ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04167800
Also Read:
- What is Pectus Carinatum & How is it Treated? | Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis of Pectus Carinatum
- Is Pectus Carinatum A Serious Condition & Can It Be Reversed?
- What Is The Prognosis For Pectus Carinatum & Lifestyle Changes For It?
- Can Pectus Carinatum Go Away On Its Own & What Are Its Natural Remedies?
- What Happens To Untreated Pectus Carinatum & When To Go To Doctor?
- Who Is At Risk For Pectus Carinatum & Is There A Blood Test For It?
