A vacuum bell is a bowl-shaped device made of orthopedic silicone. It is connected to a pump.

When you use it consistently, it can flatten the pectus excavatum deformity. Plenty of scientific evidence proves this is an effective alternative to surgery (1).

vacuum bell parts

Suction Cup & Window

The elastic body of most vacuum bells is orthopedic silicone. It is very flexible, pleasant to wear, and compatible with the skin.

At the same time, it is exceptionally durable and easy to clean. Its chemical and mechanical attributes are also great. Don't worry about it causing chemical reactions on your skin.

Every vacuum bell on today's market has a viewing window made of polycarbonate. Polycarbonates used in vacuum bells are very tough.

They are optically transparent. You can see how your hollow chest raises through the window when applying a vacuum.

Hose Nozzle

It is made of polyamide. The screw-coupling in the middle of the hose nozzle and the viewing glass reduces steadiness.

If you break the hose nozzle, you can ask the device's manufacturer for a replacement. However, the chances of this happening are very minimal.

Air Block

When you scroll up the air block, you can safely remove the pump without worrying air will come out.

When you scroll, the hose will get squeezed and won't let air come out. You can then wear the vacuum bell when you go out without the pump.

Air Out Button

When you press the air-out button, the vacuum pressure stops, and you can easily remove the vacuum bell.

Suction Pump

The purpose of the pump is to suck the air out of the device. This creates a vacuum that pulls the sunken sternum into a normal position.

They're made of PVC (Polyvinyl chloride). Due to security hazards, the power of the suction bulb is restricted. Because of this, you should only use the suction bulbs that come with the device.

Back in the day, Eckart Klobe's vacuum bell concepts were so powerful that they could quickly generate a powerful vacuum harmful to the skin.

Does the vacuum bell work?

2021 Study

A recent 2021 research compares surgery versus vacuum bell therapy to correct pectus excavatum (2).

The goal was to compare one-year clinical outcomes between patients who underwent surgery with patients that did vacuum bell therapy.

The study concluded that the vacuum bell therapy showed comparable outcomes and can become an alternative treatment for patients that prefer non-surgical correction of the deformity.

2019 Study

А 2019 UK study concluded that vacuum bell therapy is safe for treating pectus excavatum non-surgically (3).

Research has shown the treatment to be more successful in patients with:

• Mild deformity
• Symmetric deformity
• More compliant chest wall
• Mild rib flaring

A 2006 study proved that the vacuum bell is a successful alternative to surgery in selected patients with pectus excavatum (4).

The initial results were proven to be dramatic. However, long-term results were lacking, and further follow-up studies are necessary.

Another 2016 Study

Most of the research on the effectiveness of vacuum bell therapy for pectus excavatum comes from a study done in Switzerland (5).

The study included 140 patients (112 males and 28 females). The patients averaged around 100 minutes of vacuum bell application a day in this study.

After the therapy was finished, in 61 patients, the vacuum bell raised the breastbone to a normal level after 21.8 months of treatment.

About 80 percent of all patients saw a tremendous improvement in their chest wall, and about 15 percent got a total repair.

Few patients had only applied the suction cup device for nearly a month, not completing the required time of the study.

There is a definite chance they could've had fantastic improvement if they continued to follow the therapy.

The study's successful results are why many doctors worldwide feel comfortable doing the vacuum bell treatment on patients.

CT scans after vacuum bell therapy

CT scan images shared by the Pediatric Surgical Clinic of the University of Jena in Germany show an immediate lifting of the sunken chest after a vacuum bell therapy.

The photos below show the Eckart Klobe vacuum bell on the first day of treatment. The before and after images are done only a few minutes apart.

Patient 1 CT Scan Image

This is the very first CT scan image done on a patient who started the vacuum bell therapy.

In the Before photo, you can see a noticeable dent in the sternum. You can see how effective the vacuum bell device is in lifting the sunken chest to a normal position in the second photo.

Patient 2 CT Scan Image

Again, you can also see a fantastic improvement in the raising of the indented chest.

This proves how effective the vacuum bell therapy is in correcting the pectus excavatum deformity.

What Surgeons Say About the Device

Corey Iqbal

Dr. Corey Iqbal is a general surgeon in Overland Park, Kansas, allied with Overland Park Regional Medical Center.

He did postgraduate training at the Mayo Clinic and had a track record of trying innovative things.

Dr. Corey received his medical degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine.

You can watch the full interview about why he is such a massive fan of the vacuum bell therapy for pectus excavatum below (6).

Robert J. Obermeyer

Also, lots of other surgeons started implementing the suction bell therapy.

Dr. Robert J. Obermeyer is the leader of the non-surgical correction of the inverted chest at CHKD, the nation's best exploration facility for chest-wall abnormalities and a teaching site for doctors worldwide (7) (8).

The vacuum bell is the first non-surgical device pectus excavatum specialists ever used to fix a funnel chest.

Dr. Obermeyer also said,

In this video, you can see Dr. Obermeyer applying the vacuum bell to a patient with a sunken chest who doesn't want to undergo surgery.

Vacuum Bell use in Europe

The vacuum bell device has been used in Europe for many years, yielding incredible results. Investigation indicates that the chest improvement could be permanent.

Dr. Obermeyer went to see pectus experts in Switzerland who used the vacuum bell effectively (9). Since then, he has brought this technology to the United States.

What Surprises Me the Most

It is strange how the vacuum bell therapy for pectus excavatum is still dismissed by conventional medicine as an "alternative method."

It shows that many doctors are not seriously concerned with the non-surgical treatment of the deformity.

Most established surgeons prefer to operate. Since the beginning of the health system, there has been nothing but surgery for pectus excavatum correction.

Now there is an alternative that works: the vacuum bell method.

Four Things should Know

Where to Apply

It would be best to place the vacuum bell over the deepest point of the hollowed chest, in between the nipples.

How to Attach

The silicone ring should be spread out and moderately pressed to your chest.

It should tighten up by itself when its inner sides contact the skin. When the vacuum is applied, the device should connect to your body by itself.

How to Apply Vacuum Pressure

The vacuum force is generated when you press the suction pump.

To further increase the negative vacuum pressure, squeeze the suction pump again when it regains its original form.

How to Remove It

To remove the vacuum bell, it needs to be re-exposed to air. It would be best to turn the suction pump's air inlet valve at the end of a therapy session.

That makes air come into the device slowly to avoid sudden aeration.

Vacuum Bell FAQ

A regular vacuum bell's power is enough to lift a maximum of 1 kg per square centimeter. This isn't enough to raise a sunken sternum.

However, the vacuum bells designed to fix pectus excavatum can generate mind-blowing force. Let's take Eckart Klobe's vacuum bell, for example.

Suppose the surface of a circular vacuum bell is 20 cm in diameter. That's roughly 315 square centimeters.

This device can lift a total of 314 kg with complete vacuuming.

With partial vacuuming, the suction forces are congruently lower. For example, 15% of the device's vacuuming power is enough to pull around 47 kg.

Modern vacuum bells can pull out the indented chest to the device's transparent window.

Some patients use the vacuum bell's maximal capacity, so their inverted chest goes into a "pectus carinatum shape."

6 Situations to Avoid The Vacuum Bell

Eckart Klobe clearly stated a few circumstances where you should not use the vacuum bell.

Don't use this therapy if you suffer from diseases that alter the strength of the bones.

Such diseases are:

• Osteogenesis Imperfecta (glass bones)
• Osteoporosis (lessening of the dense bone tissues).

In the case of Angiopathy. That is a standard term for an illness of the blood vessels (veins, arteries, and capillaries). These can result from:

• Marfan syndrome
• Aneurysm (abnormal expansions of the arteries).

If you suffer from Coagulation Dysfunction. These are disturbances in the body's capability to regulate blood coagulation, involving:

• Thrombopathy
• Hemophilia (bleeding disorder).

Make Measurements

If you want to see progress and success, you must measure the deformity regularly.

I used to measure my chest with a ruler weekly and note the result on paper. Vacuum bell therapy requires a lot of patience.

It is hard to notice the results by looking at yourself in the mirror. You can gain a lot of motivation by merely looking at the progress evident on paper.         

It's hard to notice any improvement in the caved-in chest, especially if you look at your body every day. The vacuum bell therapy won't be helpful for the impatient!

Always remember, the funnel chest correction can take up to 2 years!

Take Photos

Another helpful measurement tip is to take photos (front view and two lateral views at 45° and 90°). First, take pictures before starting the therapy. After that:

• Take photos of your chest every two weeks
• Import these photos to your computer
• Make sure you save them to a Cloud Storage service because a single computer crash can be fatal to your photos.

Remember to measure your chest after taking off the device for 14 hours.

As you already know, you will raise the chest to a normal position after each session of vacuum bell therapy.

It will gradually fall back to a sunken position, but not as deep as before. Fourteen hours of wait is required to have the same foundation.

After taking photos every week, I can proudly say that I raised the dent by 2 mm every month in the first stages of treatment.

Extra Motivation

As I previously stated, the progress stalls after a few months. However, if you do the math, that is still about a 2 cm correction in a year!

More than enough to correct the deformity and make the sunken chest less visible.

If you have a more severe pectus excavatum, you must continue with the treatment even after a year. Be patient, take measurements, and trust the process.

Vacuum Bell History

The vacuum bell treatment of pectus excavatum has a long history. Applying a vacuum to lift the sunken sternum was first used more than a century ago.

In Europe, the idea of a vacuum device to repair the concave chest deformity has been discussed for many years. However, the technology always trailed behind.

Pediatrician Lewis Spitz and the Munich Orthopedist Fritz Lange were the originators of this method (1) (2).

They used a glass bell to repair the pectus excavatum deformity for their first experiment. However, this wasn't a success.

Uncomfortable Materials

The materials were insufficient, and adverse side effects occurred. The suction cups used at this time were made of glass. They were heavy, stiff, and unbearable to wear.

Patients couldn't wear them for long enough. They couldn't see a good fixation on sunken chests, and the development of vacuum bell therapy has stalled.

This stopped the use of this non-surgical method for plenty of years. Ever since then, this method has improved considerably.

This method is also known as a cup-suction procedure, as defined in 2006.

Because of the pectus excavatum surgeries' invention and their initial success, scientists weren't motivated to invest their time and energy in improving vacuum therapy technology.

How Eckart Klobe Fixed His Chest

During the 1990s, materials for vacuum devices greatly improved. This made them capable of applying powerful forces.

In 1992, the German chemical engineer Eckart Klobe created an impressive device for treating pectus excavatum (3).

With this suction device, he started correcting his concave chest when he was 36 years old.

Below is a video of him showing his chest, and talking about his pectus journey.

According to Pectus Peru, an organization close to Eckart Klobe wrote on Facebook that Eckart Klobe was offered surgery to fix his deformity, but he declined (4) (5).

He started experimenting at home with vacuum cleaners on his chest and thus invented the modern vacuum bell that helped thousands of us correct our chest deformities.

Scientific studies concluded that Eckart Klobe's vacuum method proved promising and effective in the surgical and non-surgical correction of pectus excavatum (6).

Vacuum Bell Development

In 1997, he registered his patent for procedures and equipment for non-surgical repairing of the indented chest.

The effectiveness of this method became popular among inverted chest sufferers.

He decided to create an "everyday" suction bell. It had very little to do with his original model from 1992.

He made hundreds of samples before developing a device that worked consistently.

In 2002, the Eckart Klobe vacuum bell was registered as a medical product for the non-invasive lifting of the sunken chest and was made available to the market (7).

Because of this, Eckart Klobe's vacuum bells could be sold and used in the European Union (EU).

In 2003, Eckart K. founded his own business solely for the progression, manufacturing, and promotion of his useful vacuum bells.

In Germany, the vacuum bell is also known as "Trichterbrust Saugglocke." By 2004, the company had already made the 400th suction bell.

Best Innovation Award

In 2013, Eckart Klobe received the Strategy Award for Best Innovation. The vacuum bells by Eckard Klobe are CE-certified and patent-registered.

Dr. Robert J. Obermeyer, heading the non-surgical correction of the PE project at CHKD, met with Eckart Klobe.

He visited the manufacturing facility where these devices are produced. He became aware of the effectiveness and safety of the vacuum bell.

That helped accelerate its classification by the Food and Drug Administration as a class 1 medical device, which permits the sale and use in the United States.

Since April 2012, Eckart Klobe's vacuum bells have had an FDA Registration in the USA.

In January 2014, they received an MDEL (Medical Device Establishment Licence) in Canada, and the vacuum bells could be sold there without any limitation.

For vacuum bell therapy to succeed, you need to follow some directions. Unfortunately, the directions can be very misleading and can confuse us.

How To Use the Vacuum Bell

I studied every single piece of research about vacuum bell therapy, and I came up with a general plan you can follow and what to expect during the treatment. Some of the recommendations are made by Mr. Eckart Klobe himself.

In contrast, others come from my personal experience and the experiences of others that I stumbled upon in forums that improved their deformities with the vacuum bell.

I hope this chapter will clarify how to use the vacuum bell during the entire therapy.

What to Expect during First Therapy

It is recommended to do the first vacuum bell therapy under medical supervision (1). If you choose to overlook this and start the treatment in your home, I advise you to have a relative or friend next to you.

You start by lying down to set the suction cup on your chest. It would be best if you placed it tightly and comfortably.

Slowly pump and increase the vacuum pressure as there shouldn't be any considerable pain. Feel how the inverted chest starts to lift to the transparent glass of the device.

At this point, it is entirely natural to have mixed feelings. You'll feel hopeful, but at the same time, you'll feel slight discomfort.

Pump and apply negative pressure to the point where you feel a minor ache.

Then, carefully try to stand up and walk around your room. Notice how the device stays on your chest without falling. That's the power of negative pressure.

How Long to Apply During First Therapy

According to Eckart Klobe, 15 minutes of wearing time is enough for the first time (2).

Your goal isn't to correct the deformity after one single therapy. The purpose of the first session is to get familiar with the power of the vacuum bell.

To finish the first therapy, it is good to do a follow-up Medical check-up. A lot of us are starting vacuum bell therapy on our own.

I believe that there is nothing wrong with that. Even Eckart Klobe corrected his deformity independently.

Timetable

First 4 Weeks

While you apply the vacuum bell during the first four weeks, you will need to get used to the feeling of your sternum being pulled close to the viewing window of the device.

This can be expected in just two weeks if the patients are younger or if the deformity is mild.

Older patients or patients with more severe pectus excavatum can do this in about four weeks.

If you're very uncomfortable or feel pain, you shouldn't force this. Do it gradually and slowly. Don't force the lifting of the sunken chest to the transparent window in just a few days.

According to Eckart Klobe, it should take two to four weeks because lifting the chest too fast can temporarily cause unnecessary stability losses in the rib cage.

After 2 Months

After two months of continuously applying the vacuum bell every day, with the purpose of the breastbone to come close to the transparent window of the device, the sternum of most teenagers and adults will stay elevated on its own after each therapy.

The elevation will last for a few hours until it falls back to the concave position. Comparatively, children will experience chest elevation for just a few minutes before it falls back to the initial position.

That's because the chest wall of older patients is stiffer.

Within 3 Months

You should expect the pectus excavatum deformity and poor posture to improve significantly. Also, the chest will remain flattened between one treatment and the next than when you started the treatment.

According to Eckart Klobe, this improvement was noted to be 0.39" or 1 cm in many cases.

After 4 Months

The patient will have much more physical endurance. Lung capacity and heart functioning will improve. You'll experience a deeper breath because of the chest expansion.

There is still progress in enhancing the deformity, but the progress is slower than in the first three months. The positive thing is that after four months, the patients are used to the everyday vacuum bell appliance.

They aren't bothered by the device and don't even think about it when applied. According to Eckart Klobe, in this stage, the progress is usually 0.39", or 1 cm a month.

This is the progress until the deformity is repaired.

Phases of Treatment

To fix pectus excavatum with vacuum bell therapy, there are three stages that you need to go through. The stages will define the frequency of the vacuum bell application.

Generally, the more you apply the vacuum bell, the "softer" your breastbone will become.

After several months of daily vacuum bell application, the treatment won't be as efficient as when you first started.

Because of that, you will need to take rest days in between vacuum bell applications. That will help you maintain the effectiveness of the treatment.

Phase 1

During the first phase, you will observe rapid improvement in your deformity. You'll be highly motivated to continue the treatment because of the success.

The breastbone will elevate, and your bodily appearance will change. This will help you both physically and mentally.

For representative purposes, this stage will last until your breastbone is raised to roughly 20 mm in depth.

If your breastbone is sunken deeper than 20 mm, I recommend applying the vacuum bell every day.

If you notice skin rashes in the area where you use the vacuum bell, you should apply the device for three consecutive days, followed by one day of rest. One day of rest will give your skin time to heal.

Phase 2

The second phase starts when the deformity improvement slows down, but you can still see weekly improvements.

Usually, this stage begins when your sternum depth is about 20 mm and lasts until it improves to 10 mm. I recommend you apply for the VB for two consecutive days and one day off at this stage.

During this phase, your skin will get more itchy and sensitive. You need to practice skincare more intensively.

Phase 3

In the third phase, the progress will grind to a halt. This stage is where you will begin to lose motivation because you'll see improvement only for several weeks or months.

It will start when you go below 10 mm and last until you correct the pectus excavatum deformity.

If you're satisfied with the results, you can stop the vacuum bell treatment midway through this stage and live happily with your flat chest.

You will need to apply the vacuum bell device every other day during this stage. If you're less motivated but still want to continue the therapy, you can even take a week off every month.

It will be enough for your skin to heal completely and gain the lost motivation to defeat the deformity forever.

How Long to Apply it In a Day

At the beginning of the therapy, it is enough to apply the vacuum bell two times a day for about 30 minutes (3).

The frequency and intensity should be increased later in the treatment. Your body needs to get used to the vacuum bell during the first weeks of therapy.

Learn to listen to your body. Don't force yourself to wear the vacuum bell for about 8 hours in the first week.

If you do that, you'll feel resentment with using the device. You can't form a habit this way.

According to Mr. Klobe, starting slowly and increasing the duration with time is always recommended.

Start applying the vacuum bell for about 30 minutes a day when starting. Then, gradually increase the period.

How Much to Pump

Always pump until your inverted chest becomes flat. You can see this through the see-through window of the suction bell. Consider this as a "warm-up" for your chest.

Wait 5 minutes until the chest relaxes and gets used to this new elevated position.

After the 5 minutes pass by, you should squeeze the sucking pump three times. Then, repeat and pump every 5 minutes.

I always wait until the unpleasant sensation diminishes. After about 20 minutes, the hollow chest is almost touching the window of the suction cup. At this point, pumping doesn't do anything.

It can't elevate further because that is as far as possible. I recommend sitting in this state for about 40 minutes when your chest reaches this point.

After 60 minutes, let air in and finish the successful 1-hour therapy. Listen to your body. If you feel sharp pain, stop immediately.

Maintain Pressure Without Pumping

I stumbled upon many people that complain about a problem with negative pressure maintenance. They had to pump continually to maintain the elevated breastbone to the window.

This isn't very pleasant if you're trying to do therapy while sleeping. During the day, you can pump to maintain the negative pressure. However, it is a whole different story at night.

I had this exact problem while sleeping. As soon as I woke up, I noticed that the suction cup had stayed loose on my chest.

Two Problems to Fix

First Problem

The first problem is caused by the pump mostly because the valve is not tight. After pumping and reaching the desired chest elevation, take the pump off.

At the same time, squeeze the hose tightly so no air will come out. Pectus Healing vacuum bells have a plastic wheel to squeeze the hose, so no air will come out.

Other vacuum bells usually come with a silicone plug designed for this purpose.

If it doesn't include one, any circular item made of metal, plastic, or silicone with a diameter of around 7mm will work.

You can grind it out to become cone-shaped. Then, it would be much easier to insert it. Stick the silicone plug (stopper) in the hose, and you're good to go. After doing that, the device should stay tight.

Second Problem

The second problem is with the suction cup positioning on your chest. If you try to sleep with the VB applied, you should lower it on your chest.

Contrary, if you place it in a higher position on your chest, the air will slowly get drawn out of the device. You can't hear the air getting out.

Vacuum Bell Warm-Up Exercises

I will show you the following exercises and stretches created to warm up and loosen up your chest muscles and soften the cartilage and bones before vacuum bell application.

There isn’t any scientific research done on this, but every time I do this warm-up, the vacuum bell therapy feels more natural on my chest, and the breastbone stays flattened for longer.

They are also helpful for pectus posture improvement.

The warm-up will take no more than 5-10 minutes in your day. Do the exercises slowly, and control the movement.

Dumbbell Hold

Take a dumbbell with both hands, and lay with it in front of you. Make sure you fully extend your arms and legs.

It is similar to the superman core exercise, but the only difference is that your legs will stay on the ground.

You'll mostly feel this movement in your chest. Hold the dumbbell for at least 5 seconds, then lower it. Repeat five times.

Drunk Man Stretch

Lay on the right side of your body, with the right leg fully extended and the left leg resting on the ground just in front of the right.

Put your right hand under your head. You should slightly turn your head to the ground.

It would be best to place your left hand behind your head with the fingers pointing to the back. Then, rotate your head toward the ceiling. Feel the stretch in your chest.

Perform ten deep abdominal breaths. Repeat with the other side.

Dumbbell Pullover

This exercise serves as a warm-up movement for vacuum bell application. It would help if you did it on a bioenergetic stool.

Grab a light dumbbell and rest your upper back on the towel placed on the stool, with your feet flat on the ground.

Hold the weight above your chest, and slowly lower it with straight arms until they become parallel with the ground.

Then, remain in the stretched-out position for about 5 seconds. Bring the weight back to the initial work and repeat five times.

You should feel the stretch in your chest muscles and lats.

Standing Twist Stretch

Stand with your legs set at shoulder-width-apart, right next to the side of a door frame.

Put the left palm on it. Push your hips forward and rotate as much as you can to the right side, with your right arm fully extended.

Feel the stretch and hold it for about 30 seconds. Repeat with your other side.

Side Stretch

Set your feet at shoulder-width apart. Step on your feet with the legs straight.

Take your left arm and put it over your head. Lean-to the right and feel the stretch in your sides.

Your right arm should slide slowly on your right side. With each breath, try to stretch even further.

Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, and repeat with your other side.

Chest Rotation 1

Hold the left pectoral muscle with your feet set shoulder-width apart with the right hand.

Rotate to the left side with your left arm fully extended above your shoulders.

Your head should turn in the direction of your left arm. Squeeze the glutes and keep your hips forward.

Hold for about 30 seconds and repeat with the other side.

Chest Rotation 2

Hold the lower ribs' left side with your right hand with the exact foot positioning as with the first stretch variation.

Usually, the left side of the ribs protrudes more because of the pectus excavatum deformity. If that's your case, hold the rib flare.

Rotate as much as possible to the left side with your left arm fully extended below your shoulders.

Squeeze the glutes to protect your lower back and keep your hips forward. Hold for 30 seconds.

Do the same for the other side.

Chest Expansion

Stand with your feet set shoulder-width apart. Squeeze the glutes to protect your back from hyperextending.

Stretch out your arms behind, as much as possible, below shoulder level. Don't hyperextend your lower back. Feel the stretch in your chest.

Hold this for about 30 seconds. Then, take your arms above shoulder level. You'll feel the stretch in a different spot on the chest.

Again, hold for another 30 seconds.

Core Stretching Exercises

The following stretches will help you with the effectiveness of vacuum bell therapy. In my experience, the sternum elevation lasted longer after doing these exercises.

Even though it is not mandatory, I still recommend you do these exercises before the VB application.

Hold the stretches for at least 60 seconds. At first, some of them may be hard to execute, but eventually, you'll build your endurance to the point where you'll be able to hold them for longer.

If you practice yoga, you may be familiar with some exercises. I am a massive advocate for pectus excavatum sufferers to do yoga daily. It even helps in vacuum bell therapy.

Bridges

Depending on your flexibility levels, doing one of the bridge's three variations is essential.

At first, you'll struggle with it, but you'll progress in this movement as you try it consistently.

It may take a few months until you're flexible and robust enough to go from 1a to 1c.

1A - Headstand Bridge

First, lay on the ground flat and bend at the knees until your feet touch your butt. Put your hands right next to your head, so the fingers of the palm point to you.

Raise at the hips as much as possible. You should distribute the weight on your feet, head, and hands.

If it is your first time practicing this movement, expect to shake a lot while holding this position. Set a goal to hold this position for 60 seconds.

After you can hold it for 60 seconds, it is time to go to the bridge's next variation.

1B – Handstand Bridge

Repeat the same movement, but try to distribute the weight only on your hands and feet. Elevate the head and try to push with your shoulders as much as possible.

This movement is a great strength developer for your shoulders. It mimics the overhead barbell press.

When you can hold this for 60 seconds, do the following more challenging variation.

1C – Elbow Bridge

The last and final bridge variation requires a lot of strength and shoulder flexibility. As you get into a headstand bridge, try to shift the whole weight of your body to your feet and head.

Grab the back of your head with your hands, and place the elbows on the ground at a 45-degree angle. Push your hips up so the weight is supported on your elbows.

Then, you need to straighten your legs and push the body forward so you feel a more significant stretch on your abdominals and chest muscles. Set a goal to hold this position for about 60 seconds.

This is the final progression of the bridge. Stick to this variation as soon as you can hold 1b for 60 seconds. The goal of 1a and 1b is to progress until you can do 1c.

Sitting Rotation

Sit down in a meditation position. It would be best to sit on your left leg, with the knees bent at 90 degrees.

Your right leg should be in front of your left. It would help extend your right arm so your hand touches your shin area and your elbow sits comfortably on your thigh.

Rotate with your body and fully extend your left arm to be placed behind your left hip.

Your fingers should point away from your body, and your head should point in the direction of your fingers.

You can push with your right arm on your right thigh for a better rotation. Hold for about 60 seconds. Repeat with your other side.

Bow Pose

Lay down flat on your stomach and chest. Bend your legs, and grab both of your feet from the outside with your hands.

Pull your feet upwards, so you lift your upper chest and legs as much as possible. Hold your head up and forward. Feel the stretch in your chest, abdomen, and quadriceps.

Half Frog Pose

Lay flat on your chest and stomach. Place your forearm at a 90-degree angle right in front of you. Support your weight on your forearm.

Bend your left leg and hold your foot with your left hand from the inside. Pull your leg to your butt, and rotate your chest towards it.

Your head should point in the direction of your leg. Hold the stretch for 60 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Seal Pose

Lay down flat on your stomach. Put your arms right next to your abdomen, with your fingers pointing in front of you.

Extend and fully engage your arms, pushing your hips slightly off the ground. Squeeze the glutes to protect your lower back.

Bend back as far as you can while stretching the chest and abdomen. Your head should point to the sky.

Hold for 60 seconds.

Camel Pose

Start in a kneeling position, and slowly lean back until you can grab your heels.

Push the hips as forward as you can. Open up the frontal part of your body and breathe with your diaphragm.

Expect to shake and vibrate during this exercise.

Hold for 60 seconds.

Vacuum Bell Therapy for Adults

Correction of pectus excavatum for adult patients with vacuum bell therapy is possible (1).

Doctors believe that adults have an advantage over teenagers, mainly because their ribcage is firmer and more stable. The adult sternum doesn't fall back into a hollow position as fast.

What Research Says

A 2006 study reported that pediatric patients have a more obvious elevation of the sternum during vacuum bell therapy than adults (2).

However, after removing the vacuum bell, the breastbone fell back to a sunken position faster in pediatric patients than in adults. The chest of the adults stayed elevated after vacuum bell therapy for about 30-60 minutes.

Also, adult patients showed slower but continuous improvement of pectus excavatum with vacuum bell therapy.

At the end of the study, all adult patients, except one 19-year-old with isolated, asymmetric pectus excavatum, were satisfied and motivated to continue the vacuum bell application.

61-Year Old Patient

A 2019 scientific article from Verlag Orthopädie-Technik Dortmund, Germany, reported at least fair to good treatment success is possible even in middle-aged patients (3) (4).

The study included a 61-year-old patient successfully treating pectus excavatum deformity by wearing the vacuum bell for three to four hours a day, mainly divided into two or three applications.

Before treatment, he had a chest depth of 4 cm and used the 26 cm large vacuum bell.

Eckart Klobe Example

For example, Mr. Eckart Klobe fixed his deformity in his adulthood for 2.5 years. He repaired it to the point that no dent was noticeable any longer.

Here's a video of Mr. Eckart Klobe saying the following at the 0:30 seconds mark (5):

How Should Adults Apply it

The daily application will differ from patient to patient. For example, grownups will have difficulty applying the vacuum bell at their workplace.

Comparatively, kids have a lot of free time, which they can use for correction.

The anterior chest wall of adult sufferers isn't as flexible as younger patients. However, this will increase the duration of treatment.

How Long Will the Therapy Last?

Fixing an adult pectus excavatum with the vacuum bell can last 16-36 months. However, this time frame isn't set in stone. Two patients of the same age may have different chest wall stiffness.

Because of this, if they apply the vacuum bell for the same time amount, one may see better results than the other.

Discipline is Important!

For example, if the adult patient is more motivated and disciplined, he will see faster and better results.

Therefore, I am a massive advocate of discipline. Make it a habit to apply the vacuum bell daily, even when you don't feel like doing it.

Vacuum Bell Therapy at Work

Some motivated adults with inverted chests apply the vacuum bell for 8 hours a day during office hours. They don't care what their coworkers think about them.

Their purpose of correcting their abnormal chest without surgery is higher than other people's judgments.

Adults are Unmotivated

Applying the vacuum bell too intensively can have side effects, especially on the skin.

The 2019 study says that over-motivated adult patients should follow a few general rules that work well (4).

• The first week of treatment – a maximal application of 1 hour per day –
• The second week of therapy – a maximum of 2 hours per day
• And so on...

Bodybuilder vacuum Bell for Adults

The medium-sized "bodybuilder type" vacuum bell is built for adult patients. It has a reinforced silicone wall, which has a higher capacity for applying negative pressure.