Exercises for Sunken Chest

Sunken chest or medically called as Pectus Excavatum is a common problem seen in both men and women. There are some exercises that can be done to improve the conditions without going for a surgery. The process of surgery can take a long time to recover and also is an expensive process. The recovery from sunken chest with the help of exercises is a slow process and requires a lot of patience. While doing the exercises for sunken chest and you suddenly feels pain, it is strictly advised to stop immediately.

General postures like standing straight and marching have helped a number of people to improve their sunken chest. Posture has a huge impact on the positioning of the chest. The general exercises for sunken chest that you can include in your daily schedule are running, jogging, swimming and yoga.

Other weighted exercises also help in improving the sunken chest. You can try barbell pullover or dumbbell pullover to improve the position. These exercises help in strengthening the chest muscles and also in the expansion of the rib cage. This pushes the sternum out, hence improving the shape of the chest. Before starting any weighted exercises, it is important that you follow some warm up and do not strain. When doing the exercise at home you can lie down on the floor or rest on a weight bench. Place a thin pillow behind your back right at the position behind the sternum. This puts pressure on the sternum.

Breathing exercises are also found to be quite helpful. Stand in a straight position to keep your posture good. Keep the hands on the sides and take a deep breath. Make the breath as big as possible and push your chest out. Hold your breath for at least 5 to 30 seconds and gradually place your hands behind the upper neck. The aim of doing this is to expand the ribcage and push out the sternum. You can also follow this technique while lying down or while sitting straight on the chair. If you follow this exercise consistently you can observe a change in the shape of your chest within 3 months. Even if the sunken chest does not improve you will notice a change in your posture.

Broom twist is a simple exercise that can help you repair the sunken chest. Hold a long pole or place a broomstick right behind your neck and try to hold the stick with each hand held about the width of the shoulder apart. Start twisting slowly and control it at the waist. This exercise helps in bringing back the ribs in shape.

Doing the regular exercises helps you improve the sunken chest. But, it should be kept in mind that the process is slow and takes a lot of time. It will only improve if you follow the exercises religious over a certain period of time. So, try to follow the steps and improve your posture to repair the sunken chest.