{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,2]],"date-time":"2026-10-02T09:53:48Z","timestamp":1790934828232,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760659200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common deformity of the chest wall seen in children and adolescents. Besides its visible depression of the chest, this condition often causes functional impairments affecting the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as postural issues. Additionally, the aesthetic aspect of the deformity can greatly impact the psychosocial well-being of those affected. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a tailored physiotherapy program on children and adolescents with PE, focusing on musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, postural, and balance measures. A total of 35 participants diagnosed with PE will be assessed using four complementary methods: myotonometry with MyotonPRO for the trapezius muscle involving all three fascicles and the pectoralis major muscle on both sides, cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill (including cardiopulmonary function), postural assessment with GaitOn, and static balance-stabilometry with PoData 2.0. These assessments will be performed before and three months after completing an individualized physiotherapy program, which participants will perform daily after proper instruction from a physical therapist. After three months, the initial and final results will be compared to determine how physical therapy influences treatment outcomes in patients with PE.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life15101624","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T10:28:36Z","timestamp":1760696916000},"page":"1624","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The Impact of Physical Therapy on Postural and Myotonometric Disorders in Patients with Pectus Excavatum: Study Protocol"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-0997-9708","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marius-Zoltan","family":"Rezume\u0219","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4037-0906","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Liliana","family":"Ca\u021ban","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center for Assessment of Human Motion, Functionality and Disability, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0706-7449","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elena","family":"Am\u0103ric\u0103i","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center for Assessment of Human Motion, Functionality and Disability, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8774-0965","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ada-Maria","family":"Codreanu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVasile Goldi\u0219\u201d Western University, 310038 Arad, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2812-1003","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreea-Ancu\u021ba","family":"V\u0103t\u0103man","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4295-7487","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vlad-Laurentiu","family":"David","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatric Surgery, \u201cVictor Babe\u0219\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e403","DOI":"10.3928\/19382359-20161007-01","article-title":"Pectus Excavatum: More Than a Matter of Aesthetics","volume":"45","author":"Abdullah","year":"2016","journal-title":"Pediatr. 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