A Growth Spurt with an Unfortunate Twist

Diego already felt different. He was a pre-teen with autism, and he was often bullied at school. He did not need a new problem that made him stand out.

At age eleven, with the onset of a very fast growth spurt, Diego's chest decided to twist as he grew. The medical term is pectus carinatum. It happened so quickly that his mom rushed him into the pediatric office, worried that a chest tumor was growing. The chest deformity was very obvious. His right-sided ribs were bulging out high and forward, while his left ribs were more normal. It was noticeable through his shirt. His chest felt hard and immobile.

X-rays and an MRI confirmed there was no tumor. A pediatric orthopedist recommended either surgery or chest bracing as alternatives to help the cosmetic changes. I requested they have FCS evaluation and release.

Diego was reluctant to trust me at first. He realized very quickly though that with each small maneuver his chest became more soft and bouncy, the way it was supposed to be.

He required three 45-minute counterstrain visits. His mom's "before and after" chest pictures show significant improvement in his pectus without any other treatments. More importantly, his chest wall moves and is unrestricted, as it should be.

Diego will now begin to wear his orthopedic brace for a year to see if he can gain any further improvement. Even if the brace does nothing for him, he has improved enough that he is no longer a candidate for surgery, and he is pleased that his chest looks normal with his shirt on.