Question
I am 16 years old and i have ribs that stick out just above my abdominals. There is a difference from the right side of my body to the left with my ribs showing more on the right side to the left. Where the ribs stick out it causes me pain to feel around and feels like my ribs are wrongly positioned. i cannot enhance my figure with weights and working out because no matter how much i pump my chest, from the side my ribs stick out in the centre of my torso causing my chest to look small with the ribs further out than my chest. At the points of the ribs, it feels sort of pointed. I am conscious about this problem because i am of average weight but my ribs make me look really skinny. Any advice on this?

Answer
Dear Jon,

Thank you for your question.

I think it's important here to say that the kind of information or opinion you are seeking is not best found on the internet or any other indirect manner.  Beyond the fact that your issue is not within my field, diagnosis is a difficult art, at best, even when done properly.  It becomes much less reliable when done by correspondence.  So, be wary of anyone who is willing to provide you with advice about the specifics of your situation without ever even having met you or having a chance to observe you first-hand.  

That said, the best advice I can give you is to ask your parents to take you to a provider who can examine you in-person.  

Sincerely,
James W. Healey, DC