Sticking out ribs

I'm not sure how common this problem is or if anyone can really help, but it's something about my body that I've always hated and been self conscious about so thought I'd put out a post about it.

My bottom rib(s) particularly on the left side of my body have always stuck out further than the average person.

I've attached a couple of pics showing this. In the first and third pictures to the right side of the pic you can see my rib poking out (and trust me, these two pics don't make it look half as bad as it actually is). In the second picture you get more of an idea how far it pokes out, even wearing a singlet you can see the shape of my rib poking out there.

Anyone else have this problem or know anything I could do about it? I work out a lot at the gym, eat all the right foods. I'm a 21 year old male and weigh 68kg so it's not like I'm extremely skinny or anything. Just want a good body and this has just been something I've always been extremely self conscious about. I know when most people lie down their ribs stick out a bit, but mine are like this 24/7!

Just wanted to vent, and see if anyone has got any advice. Do you think doing certain exercise could potentially minimise this problem, or if someone like a chiropractor would be any help? Or would the only solution be to put on more weight to potentially cover them more? Who knows.
 

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my left one probally sticks out more then yours, think its called "adams rib" or somethin along that line.

to be honest i just wanna see some answers too :D
 
i have two friends, one that has a really goofy bone in his sternum that sticks out and the other that has a decent size indent in his chest, they call these their "chenis" (chest *****) and "chagina" (you get the point) and they say they can have "chex" really just own it, there isn't anything you can do, give it a name and have fun with your special ribs!
 
my left one probally sticks out more then yours, think its called "adams rib" or somethin along that line.

to be honest i just wanna see some answers too :D
So I'm not alone then! Where did you find out that it's called "Adam's Rib". Do you know anywhere online I can read about it?

Thanks for any help guys.
 
Yeah get some muscle to cover it up i reckon :) or if its still there when u your huge it will just blend in as a muscle i bet haha
 
It has nothing to do with being "skinny". I'm not skinny in the first place just average weight, and I know much skinnier guys who don't have sticking out ribs like this! LOL.

Anyways thanks for the tips. What sort of exercises would build muscle over it?
 
If you want to hide it with musce I would focus on your lats, chest, and abs. Of course if your going to bulk you should stay proportionate.

If you get bulky and someone ignorant asks you about it you can call that a muscle. These are the lats, traps, delts, and this is the ribductor muscle.
 
hey man, my name is zack im also 21. i got the same thing you got except my right rib sticks out more, not only that my chest caves in so it makes my ribs stick out even more. i have been using this thing called the "ab wheel". it has really been working out my sides and the rib muscles. i ask my doc about it like 3 years ago and he said dont worry about it that i will grow out of it. anyway i just thought i would let you know you are not alone. Im just gonna really start working on my abs and try to cover it all up with muscle, the only thing im afraid of is the muscle will build under the ribs and not over, causing them to poke out more. good luck!!
 
If you are lean, that will probably stick out no matter how much muscle you have. That area of the ribs tends to show when lean, even with a lot of muscle mass.....though it may appear smaller with more muscle around it

I hate to sound like a preschool teacher here, but our bodies aren't perfect. Just learn to accept it. I have a weird collar bone, it looks like it has a bump on it. When I first noticed it I thought it was hideous, but hardly anyone notices it.
 
I am a first time poster here from Australia and guess what... I am also 21. I have a similar condition particularly on the LHS. It is not as profound as it was. I first noticed it when I started losing waiting trying to get into better shape for the defense force. I have been doing 50 Pushups/5min plank, 100 Chrunches, 100 Bicycle (sp?) Chrunches, 100 Double chrunches every night before bed, on top of my weights training.

I have noticed now the muscle is building up if I push out the top of my abdominal area then I can hardly notice the ribs. I have also noticed as my chest gets bigger I don't notice the ribs as much either. However if I stand up really straight it really does become noticeable.

So I say, do some serious abdominal exercises, go to a gym once or twice a week, work on your lower back, upper body including chest, shoulders, upper back. If you bulk up at the top of your body and taper down to your waist it should be less noticeable.
 
OK guys. Apparently the general opinion is that bulking up will minimize the appearance of the ribs poking out. What about women? My sister and I have the same problem and as you can imagine would rather not have to put on weight or a large amount of muscle in our mid-section.

It's really un-flattering. We both have nice stomachs and small waists and the whole torso image is ruined by these odd-looking bones sticking out!

Any ideas?
 
I would say the most drastic option would be to have the ribs removed, but that is worst case scenario. I have read that if the muscles in that area are strong, not necessarily big but lean then it may help to move the ribs in. Try some low level abdominal and chest exercises...

Other option would be to see a specialist. I would image there must be some form of tourniquet that could be worn around that area to put pressure on the ribs and slowly moving them inwards. I am no doctor but this procedure may involve breaking the ribs in question to move them, anyone who has fractured a rib knows this would be VERY painful.

I am still doing heaps of research on this topic... I will post anything I find.


TIM
 
I agree with Carinna. I do notice your rib, but it certainly doesn't bother me. It's kinda cool ;)

None of us are symmetrical. My right collarbone sticks out more by my neck on than the left one and my rib cage is not even because when I lie down, one side sticks out more than the other.

Do I care? Not any more. I used to be very self-conscious about it (in my 20s), but I was always surprised when nobody noticed it until I mentioned it.

If somebody does care, they're not worth your time.

Bottom line: You look good to me :)
 
You think thats a problem? I was born with three of something I should only have two of.... luckily the spare one was very small and mostly faded away over time and isn't in a noticeable place anyway.... :p But its a great conversation starter! Well, depending on who I'm talking to haha. Like someone else said, own it! Its only embarrassing if you let it be.
 
Yea man same

yeah man im only 14 and i have the same problem, im not overweight but i can lose at least 15 kgs, but i dunno if i wanna lose the weight if my ribs will stick out to much. alot of people at my school realise this and bring it up for conversation which turns into people touching my ribs and going wtf?

i wish i was just normal lol.
 
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Nothing to worry about that. Nothing abnormal about it. I have the same protruding ribs as yours and my daughter inherited this structure too.
 
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