Although casts can provide better curve management than braces, they can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. Massage, pilates, and yoga may help with pain in a person with scoliosis. Learn more about exercises to help with scoliosis here. However, they can appear as a hard lump near the collar bone. Cervical ribs can occur on either side of the body but are more common on the left side.
On rare occasions, cervical ribs can compress surrounding blood vessels, causing numbness and tingling in the arm. Compression by the cervical rib can also cause the arm to become blue and swollen. Although a person with a cervical rib or ribs will typically experience no symptoms, surgery is available to remove the rib should complications occur.
Doctors can find it difficult to diagnose pectus excavatum in infants as symptoms typically present in early childhood or adolescence. Pectus excavatum more commonly occurs in males than females. Anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy , and acupuncture can help with pain management for a person with pectus excavatum. Younger people can use vacuum bells to correct the dip in the chest. The device involves a person applying a suction cup to their chest for 1 hour per day.
A person with pectus excavatum should preferably have corrective surgery during adolescence if required. However, the surgery is also available for adults and older adults. According to a review , surgery for a person with pectus excavatum can improve cardiopulmonary function, increase self-esteem, and decrease associated symptoms.
Pectus carinatum, or keel chest, occurs when the rib cage pushes outwards. This condition can give the rib cage an uneven appearance. Males are four times more likely to have pectus carinatum than females.
Pectus carinatum can occur on both sides, or either side, of the chest, but is more likely to appear on the right side. People with pectus carinatum are unlikely to have other symptoms, although they can occasionally experience:. Learn more about pectus carinatum here. Corrective braces are a treatment option for pectus carinatum. However, a person will need to wear the braces for 14—24 hours a day. Also, they become less effective after a person turns 19 years old due to changes in the flexibility of the chest wall.
Given that pectus carinatum often produces no adverse symptoms, surgery is usually cosmetic. You may be missing a rib or your rib cage may be naturally flared. If your rib cage is causing you distress or pain , you should speak to your doctor.
Deformities such as pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum affect roughly 1 in 1, children. These deformities cause the chest to bow outwards or inwards. Many cases of rib deformities are corrected with a brace, but some may require surgery.
If your rib cage is slightly uneven or protruding, it may be due to a muscle weakness. Your abdominal muscles play a large role in holding your rib cage in place. If your muscles on one side of your body are weaker, it may be causing one side of your rib cage to stick out or sit unevenly. If you have scoliosis , you may also have uneven ribs. In cases of slightly uneven ribs, your doctor or physician may suggest exercises to help your muscles hold your rib cage in place.
Strengthening your back and abdominal muscles can help align your rib cage and improve breathing. If your uneven side is weaker, adding extra exercise repetitions to your weaker side can help you build a more even appearance. Your doctor or physical therapist may have more exercises to help your rib cage appear straighter. Consult your doctor before beginning any new workout.
If your rib cage is slightly uneven and not causing any serious health concerns, your doctor may suggest exercises or physical therapy to correct the issue.
If the unevenness is severe, you may need surgery or a corrective brace. Do these daily, and you should notice a major difference in your posture and ribcage. I recommend trying a beginners yoga class!
There are some really great mobility tools on the market today. I often advise my patients to purchase a foam roller, yoga wheel, inversion table, etc. I recommend using the inversion table, foam roller, and yoga wheel multiple times a day. Adding this to your daily routine will make a huge difference, and help even out your ribcage.
Check Price on Amazon The foam roller is hands down one of the best products to help any spine or ribcage abnormalities. The foam roller provides a deep spine and ribcage stretch, while providing decompression. Foam rollers help expand the ribcage, and overtime can help correct the unevenness.
Check Price on Amazon The yoga wheel is one of my favorites to use daily. The yoga wheel provides a slightly deeper stretch compared to the foam roller. I prefer to use the yoga wheel after sitting long periods of time.
This will provide a decompression and expansion of your ribcage. Check Price on Amazon The inversion table is a great product to have at home. An inversion table provides the most decompression, and can help even out your rib cage overtime.
The inversion table needs to be used daily for the most benefits. I recommend starting with only about seconds, and then building up your time. Ribcage Brace Pros: — Supports the ribcage — Can be used to even ribcage after injury. Check Price on Amazon A ribcage brace is an option for those of you who may have suffered an injury or trauma to the ribs. If you believe your ribs are uneven due to ribcage injury, then you can help wear the brace for support.
Final Thoughts Your ribcage is a big part of your overall appearance, and it can be bothersome to have ribs that stick out more than others. I recommend figuring out what may be the cause of your uneven ribs, and then try the exercises, stretches, and mobility tools to help correct it. Remember it will take time, but it is important to stay committed with the exercises, stretches, and mobility tools.
Use these products daily to see the most benefits. If your ribs are sticking out following a traumatic event or injury, then seek medical attention. Most of the time uneven ribs are harmless, and not a major cause of concern.
However, if your ribs are accompanied by any pain or other symptoms I recommend seeing a physician. Hey Matt, I would recommend going to see a physical therapist who could best assess your posture, check for abnormalities, and provide the best corrective exercises. Thank you for your blog! Hey Mickey, Weight loss can definitely cause the ribs to appear more prominent.
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