Poor posture often contributes to the sunken chest appearance common with Pectus Excavatum. The typical Pectus Posture includes forward sloping shoulders and a belly that may stick out. A mild Pectus may appear to be more severe simply because of this poor posture. An important part of improving Pectus non-surgically involves improving this forward posture, increasing mobility and flexibility of the spine and chest wall, and lengthening the tight chest muscles. These stretches help because they focus on extension of the chest and back muscles, which creates tension in the chest wall in order to improve posture.
Superman
Superman is a great way to strengthen your lower back and tone your glutes! To begin, lie straight and face down on the floor or exercise mat. Your arms should be fully extended in front of you. Simultaneously raise your arms, legs, and chest off of the floor and hold this contraction for 2 seconds. Tip: Squeeze your lower back to get the best results from this exercise.
Bridge
Lie supine on the floor, and if necessary, place a thickly folded blanket under your shoulders to protect your neck. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible. Exhale and pressing your inner feet and arms actively into
the floor, push your tailbone upward toward the pubis, firming (but not hardening) the buttocks, and lift the buttocks off the floor.
Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp your hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.
Cobra
Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your body. On an inhalation, begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can maintain a connection through your pubis to your legs. Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points.
Extended Puppy Stretch
Come onto all fours. See that your shoulders are above your wrists and your hips are above your knees. Walk your hands forward a few inches and curl your toes under. Drop your forehead to the floor and let your neck relax. To feel a nice long stretch in your spine, press your hands down and stretch through the arms while pulling your hips back toward your heels
Shoulder Opener
As gravity & things in our lives demand our attention & pull us forward, the muscles on the front of our chest and shoulders shorten & tighten. These forces cause disc degeneration, head and neck pain, rotator cuff impingement, amongst other problems. Regular shoulder stretches can improve posture, improve function and make us feel and look younger.
