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It looks as though he has a chest deformity called Pectus Excavatum, which is abbreviated as PE sometimes. Pretty much if you have PE the cartilage in your chest does not develop correctly; it can can a lot worse during puberty. The causes are now thought to be genetic primarily, however other issues such as scoliosis can also cause PE.

When you have PE, you have a "sunken chest" (your sternum is deep like a hole) and your ribs are flared due to the cartilage overgrowth. Some people with this deformity also have a "pot-bellied-like" appearance of their abdomen because of the pressure from the rib cage.

PE can vary in degrees of severity. It can cause certain health problems if it is bad enough, such as shortness of breath and the improper beating of the heart. The misshapen form of the ribcage can sometimes apply pressure on the lungs and can shift the heart to the left side of the body. Your ribcage often hurts too! However most often PE causes psychological symptoms, as it can lead to a lot of embarrassment and insecurity. Boys do not often like to be seen topless. Girls tend to despise bathing suit shopping and the ribs themselves make shopping for dresses difficult (believe me). Many people, especially teens, begin to slouch in order to compensate both in breathing and appearance.

Surgery such as the Nuss Procedure is available for people with PE, but this is only recommended for people with extreme cases, as the surgery is very gruesome and painful and the insurance company probably won't cover it (it's considered cosmetic). Therefore, unless tests show that pulmonary and circulatory issues are occurring, the person will think twice before having the procedure (probably why "Kirk" has not had it). Recent studies are showing that certain exercises are helping a tad for people with PE.

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8y ago

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