Anyone with PectusExcavatum (sunken dent in chest)?

beenthere wrote:

hmmm....that's an interesting find. I've strangely experienced something of the opposite. When I'm not having asthma symptoms, I actually feel like I can't get superwinded. I've noticed my teammates breathe a lot harder and quicker than me, but yet at most times they end up flying by me in the workouts and stuff. I might just have a good VO2 max and a bad anaerobic threshold.... who knows?

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Or, maybe they just work harder than you.

Guy on my HS XC team definitely had this - seemed pretty freaky.

Ex-GF seemed to have it slightly...made a nice receptacle.

Will m wrote:

Hey guys,

I've been noticing the dent in my chest is getting larger.

That's not likely, but if it is happening obviously you should have it checked out. I don't think sternums and ribcages on humans can change on their own to cause the dent to get bigger.

I have a relatively severe case (mid 40s, been running since HS, ran track and XC in HS). I never take off my shirt, which is a bummer. It looks freaky. But in terms of performance, no effect that I know of. Human organs can move around quite a bit. I've looked at some online information, and it seems if you really drill down nearly all of the surgery is for cosmetic reasons. I'm not a medical professional, but it seems you would need to have an extremely severe case before it would affect your heart's ability to grow or pump blood. And, if that were your situation, you would know by now. Bottom line, you could not have run a sub 5 minute mile or a 17:15 5K if you had such a severe case, and I wouldn't worry that it will impair your ability to improve.

Keep us posted. I'm interested to hear what your doctor says.

Damn Obama!!

Hey guys,

It's will and I recently went to the doctors about my chest. They said it could be making my lungs smaller and that is probably what is causing me problems. I'm taking pulmonary tests on Wednesday to see if it is putting pressure on my heart and if it is, I will be getting surgery. Thankyou for your responses

Anything new?

I have severe pectus and I play many sports and it doesn't affect me but having this has resulted in me being very self concious like for Instince, I am 15 and have never and will never take my shirt off in public even if my friends want me to swim then I will just walk away and say I don't want to but there is some crazy things that come from this like I can feel my heart beat without even thinking of it and if you rest your head on my heart then you can hear every beat in every detail... It just amazes me but I'm a good way i have not been bothered by sports Bc of it