How personalised exercises help improve pectus treatment results

Exercises for pectus excavatum and carinatum

A tailored exercise programme is an important part of treatment for both pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum. Exercises help to improve posture, strengthen the back and shoulder muscles, and increase chest wall flexibility and breathing capacity. Common activities include scapular squeezes, wall angels, resistance band work, and deep breathing techniques.

While exercises alone cannot correct either condition, they play a vital role in supporting the chest wall during treatment. For pectus carinatum, they are often combined with bracing, particularly in younger patients during growth spurts. For pectus excavatum, exercises can improve posture and lung expansion, making the chest more responsive to treatments such as the vacuum bell.

At your fitting appointment, your clinician will prescribe exercises to improve strength, breathing, and chest wall flexibility, and may also suggest posture-focused routines.

Our treatment program includes a daily 30-minute exercise routine that combines:

• resistance band exercises
• yoga poses
• deep breathing techniques
• general muscle stretches

Many of these exercises do not require a visit to the gym and can be done at home, or by attending an online class.

When performed consistently and correctly, these exercises can accelerate the bracing process, helping you achieve faster and more visible results.

Benefits

Following a bespoke exercise regime:

1. Increases chest wall flexibility

Chest wall flexibility is fundamental to successful bracing treatment, as the more our chest wall can move, the better it will respond to the corrective pressure applied by the brace. The flexibility of our chest wall naturally decreases as we age but can be improved by a specialised exercise regime.

2. Promotes correct breathing

Specific yoga poses can open the chest up while also promoting deep breathing. Deep breathing exercises promote lung expansion against the chest wall, helping to push it outward. This helps in the correction process.

3. Can lead to more permanent chest wall changes

Exercising with the brace in the later stages of treatment can contribute to a more stable and permanent chest correction. Though At the end of bracing treatment, most patients who have completed chest bracing or vacuum bell therapy will not need ongoing exercises to maintain their new corrected posture.

4. Improves your posture and the visible appearance of the condition

Poor posture and rounded shoulders is common in pectus patients and is often a symptom of wanting to hide the deformity.

5. Offers mental health benefits

The cosmetic appearance of pectus deformity can contribute to insecurity and low self-esteem. Yoga promotes mindfulness, which can be beneficial for pectus patients who may be struggling with their self-image.

Alva Yoga classes

As part of our core treatment package, we offer tailored pectus exercise classes with Alva Yoga specifically designed to complement our patients’ non-surgical chest bracing treatment.

Alva runs two online classes a week, one flexibility class and one muscle loading class.

• Flexibility class: Focuses on opening the shoulders and chest, building strength in these areas, as well as in the legs and back muscles. The objective is to lengthen the spine, increase flexibility, and improve mobility, all of which contribute to promoting a better posture.
• Loading class: Concentrates on building up chest muscles through a combination of strengthening and flexibility exercises. This class aims to enhance overall strength and structural support in the chest area.

Your orthotist will talk to you about which class best complements your pectus treatment.