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Pectus bracing treatment improves Aris' complex chest deformity
Aris' complex chest before treatment showed signs of both pectus carinatum, pectus excavatum and rib flaring
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Pectus bracing treatment improves Aris' complex chest deformity
BY Daisy
26 July 2024
LOC’s pectus brace successfully treats teenage patient Aris’ combined pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum, and rib flaring.
Aris, who is now 15, is very tall, over 6ft 3 ins, thin, and a keen swimmer. He was 13 years old when he became aware that one of his bones in his chest seemed to be sticking out. To begin with, his parents attributed this to a side effect of the amount of swimming Aris was doing, both training and competing. They thought it might be a sign of chest development rather than an issue.
However, as it became more and more pronounced, they visited their GP and an X-ray was arranged and taken. Unfortunately, they never heard back. Daniela, Aris’s mum searched the internet, and after some searching found photos of patients with what she discovered was a condition called
pectus carinatum or
pectus excavatum. Daniela recalls “at least we now knew what Aris had, all we needed was to find someone who could treat the condition.” More searching ensued and Daniela found the London Orthotic Consultancy.
A patient wearing the dynamic chest compressor pectus brace as well as the rib flaring brace over the rib cage
Related Pages:
Pectus Overview
Pectus Excavatum
Pectus Carinatum
Pectus Treatment
Following an initial virtual consultation with Sam Walmsley, joint founder of LOC and pioneer of bracing treatment for pectus conditions in the UK, Aris had a face-to-face consultation in January 2023.
He presented with a complex chest shape, with both pectus carinatum (to the right side of his chest) and pectus excavatum (to the left). He also showed signs of associated rib flaring. Aris comments, “Sam was explicit about what the treatment would be like, how many hours I would need to wear the brace and the exercise regime I would need to follow. But because we had had the virtual consultation previously I knew what to expect and thought that I was up for it.”
Because of the complexity of his condition, Aris’s treatment consisted of wearing a
Dynamic Chest Compressor for his pectus carinatum, a
Vacuum Bell for his pectus excavatum and a smaller brace to tackle his
flared ribs. He was also required to wear the braces for at least 20 hours a day.
Aris says: “To be frank, it was tough at the beginning and we did need to get the braces adjusted as they were too tight and causing bruising but Sam sorted things out quickly and then after about a month, I noticed significant improvements in my pectus carinatum; this obviously was extremely encouraging and a positive motivation.”
Aris wearing the vacuum bell with dynamic chest compressor
Sam Walmsley talks through the features of our slimline pectus brace
The London Orthotic Consultancy’s pectus treatment protocol includes
online pectus yoga sessions with Alva Yoga. Aris has been diligent in keeping to these weekly sessions while also doing his own exercise routines when he gets back from school. Daniela commented: “Alva has been brilliant and very helpful. The yoga sessions have really helped Aris to relax about his condition.”
At his last review in March, Sam noted that "the upper brace has worked to reduce the pectus carinatum significantly, and there is now a significant improvement in the overall rotation of his sternum. His chest shape is within a range of moderate to normal and I feel the only issue is the excavatum to the left side.”
Daniela remarks: “You can tell the difference it has made to Aris. I go with him to his swimming training, and before he began treatment, he used to be really self-conscious about his chest and used to cover it with his hands by the poolside. Now he doesn’t.”
Before and during pectus bracing treatment
“It’s life-changing really. My swimming coach has even remarked what a difference my treatment has made" - Aris
Aris himself says: "Sam has been great throughout the process, too. He’s so easy to talk to and totally straight with me about the input that is needed from me to get the best possible improvements to my chest shape. So my message to any teenagers in the same boat as me is it’s tough, but it is definitely worth it.”
A final word from Daniela: “There’s a whole team of people involved at LOC, but I would just like to mention Magda, Sam’s PA specifically, she is always on the ball and helpful, incredibly efficient in sorting things out.”
If you or your child is concerned about pectus deformity or uncertain about treatment options, you can schedule a
free virtual consultation with one of our pectus specialists today.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What's the best age to start chest bracing treatment?
This depends on several factors; the position of the chest wall deformity, its severity, the flexibility of the chest, the kind of results wanting to be achieved and the age of the person undergoing treatment for pectus excavatum or pectus carinatum.
Early adolescence (roughly between the ages of 12-16 years old) – is an optimum age to start treatment, given that the chest is still maturing, and flexible, permanent correction is more easily achievable. Once bracing treatment is complete and a patient has stopped growing, the deformity will not return. For younger pectus patients, conservative bracing is used to keep a deformity from worsening and can help them to avoid surgery in later life.
For older pectus patients (between the ages of 20 to 30) results can be harder to achieve, as the costal cartilage hardens into the bone as a person matures. Over the years we have successfully treated many adults for both pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum and active adults with flexible chests can expect good results.
What outcomes can pectus patients expect from bracing treatments?
Again, this hugely depends on what a patient wants to achieve from treatment; whether that’s avoidance of surgery, improvement in the appearance of the chest shape, reduction in rib flaring etc. All these goals are taken into consideration during your first consultation. While there are no serious health risks of having pectus carinatum or excavatum – beyond the cosmetic – for many patients and parents, treatment outcomes involve improving confidence and self-esteem. During our 2018 Pectus Patient Survey, 92% of pectus carinatum patients surveyed said that treatment had a ‘major improvement’ or ‘an improvement’ on their social life.
You can read the results of our 2018 Pectus Patient Survey and quality of life questionnaire
here.
Can I exercise when going through chest bracing treatment?
It is really important to continue exercising while going through bracing treatment. Exercise is fundamental to keeping the chest wall flexible. Our treatment programme incorporates a daily exercise routine of around 30-40 minutes of stretching using yoga poses, resistance bands, deep breathing exercises and general muscle stretches. Deep breathing exercises allow the lungs to expand against the chest wall, pushing it outwards.
Exercising with the brace on in the later stages of treatment can also make the chest correction more stable and permanent.
Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise to complement bracing treatment, as the body positions required to swim imitate the resistance band training designed to stretch the chest and increase its flexibility. Some swimming strokes are better for this than others, please check with your clinician. The brace should always be removed for contact sports and for swimming.
Will I need more than one chest brace throughout treatment?
For most patients, one brace is often all that is needed to achieve a desired level of correction. They are each designed to last the duration of treatment and accommodate any growth that may occur in that time. Some patients have benefitted from having two braces – one to treat the main deformity and the other to treat rib flaring. For some pectus excavatum patients, having a brace apply pressure to the ribs – in addition to vacuum bell therapy – can greatly reduce the appearance of the depressed sternum area of the chest, forcing it upwards and outwards into a more corrective position.
What advice would you give to people considering treatment?
If you are worried about your chest shape, or your child’s chest shape, then get in touch for a free Skype consultation with one of our pectus specialists who can assess their chest and discuss treatment options. We are always happy to communicate with local GPs, thoracic surgeons and consultants if a patient approaches us for bracing treatment after considering other options.
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