What does it mean to have a prominent sternum?

Last updated on September 26, 2020

Question

My doctor says I have a prominent sternum but didn’t go too much into detail what it meant. Do you know what it means?

Answer:

The sternum is the cartilage in the center of your chest. For most people, there is a dip in the chest where the sternum is. In a few people, the center sticks out. Here is an example of a more extreme case, called pectus carinatum or pigeon chest, from Wikipedia:

The largest concern is that it can cause a person to tire more quickly because they don’t take in air as efficiently. If you have a mild case, you probably never notice any difference.