Region

Chest

Thorax

The chest is the ribcage and sternum with the pectoral muscles laid over the front of it, and the intercostals and diaphragm working between and beneath. It is a moving cage, not a fixed box: every breath asks the ribs to swing and the diaphragm to descend. People come to a therapist for the chest because of tightness across the front that pulls the shoulders forward, rib and breastbone soreness, restricted or shallow breathing, and pain that limits reaching or pushing.