Behind every public figure's appearance lies a personal regimen. This series examines the diets, workouts, procedures, and beauty and fashion choices of people in the spotlight.
Influencer Choi Jun-hee has said she once tried to reduce her ribcage using a corset in pursuit of a slimmer figure. So-called waist training — tightly cinching the waist and ribs — can make the torso appear narrower while the garment is worn, but it cannot safely reduce the bone structure of an adult's ribcage.
Choi wrote on SNS that when she was trying to achieve an extremely thin physique, she felt her ribs were too wide and launched what she called a "ribcage reduction project" using a corset — describing the idea in hindsight as "legendary insanity." She said she eventually gave up because her shoulders were widening and throwing off her proportions, and decided to focus simply on losing body fat instead.
In a separate post, she said corset ribcage correction "is common these days."
As Choi described, some people use corsets and waist trainers that compress the waist and ribs for body shaping. Wearing one can produce an immediate visual effect — a reduced waistline and a different upper-body silhouette. Whether the ribs themselves remain narrower after the corset is removed is an entirely different question.
The ribcage, formed by 12 pairs of ribs, protects the heart and lungs and plays a direct role in breathing.
The ribcage is not simply a layer of flesh or muscle.
Anatomically, the thoracic cage comprises 12 pairs of ribs, the sternum, the thoracic vertebrae, and surrounding muscles and cartilage. The ribs connect to the thoracic vertebrae at the back, and most attach to the sternum at the front via costal cartilage. This structure shields vital organs including the heart and lungs.
It is also directly involved in breathing. When a person inhales, the ribs and sternum move outward, expanding the volume of the thoracic cavity; the diaphragm and intercostal muscles work together to create space for air to enter the lungs. Exhalation reverses the process. The ribcage must be both a rigid protective structure and one that can move freely with every breath.
When an adult wears a corset and the waistline appears to shrink, that does not mean the entire skeletal structure has been "corrected." The more significant effect comes from compression of the skin, subcutaneous fat, and soft abdominal tissue, along with changes in posture and torso shape that produce an immediate visual difference.
Tighter means slimmer? It may also mean struggling to breathe deeply.
Strong compression around the waist can affect breathing.
The Cleveland Clinic notes that waist trainers can compress the area around the sternum and ribs, making it difficult to take a full, deep breath. Discomfort tends to increase with prolonged or repeated use.
Wearing a tightly cinched corset during exercise warrants particular caution. Physical activity demands more oxygen than rest, and both the depth and rate of breathing increase — but with the torso compressed, the natural movement of the ribcage and abdomen can be restricted.
If shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest tightness occurs, the right response is to loosen the compression — not to push through in hopes of "adapting" to a tighter fit.
Abdominal compression can worsen heartburn and acid reflux.
A corset compresses not only the ribcage but also the abdomen.
Sustained pressure on the stomach can push its contents upward toward the esophagus, worsening gastroesophageal reflux. The Cleveland Clinic also notes that prolonged waist trainer use can cause heartburn, acid reflux, and abdominal discomfort.
Skin problems can develop as well. Constant friction between tight material and skin, combined with trapped sweat and moisture, can cause irritation or rashes. Excessive compression may also produce pain or numbness in specific areas.
Research on surgical rib remodeling — a procedure some seek for cosmetic reshaping of the ribcage — has identified pressure-related skin ulcers from post-operative corset use as one reported complication. The situation differs from simply wearing a corset, but it illustrates how prolonged, intense compression can place significant stress on the skin.
A wide-looking ribcage is not just a matter of body fat.
The degree to which a person's upper body appears wide varies from individual to individual.
The fundamental width of the ribcage is determined by innate skeletal factors — the length and angle of the ribs and the structure of the sternum and spine. Shoulder width, hip width, muscle mass, and the distribution of body fat all influence overall proportions as well.
Losing weight can reduce subcutaneous fat around the ribs and abdomen, making the waistline appear slimmer. Changes in back and abdominal muscle development, or shifts in posture, also alter the silhouette. These are distinct from any reduction in the width of the skeleton itself.
The sense that one's "ribs are wide," as Choi described, can also be shaped by factors beyond the ribcage skeleton alone — the ratio of shoulders to waist and the amount of body fat, among others.
Chasing an ultra-thin physique through tighter corsets and deeper cuts to food intake can cost you muscle, not just fat.
Continuously pushing body weight lower in pursuit of an extremely thin physique can reduce not only body fat but also muscle mass.
As muscle in the torso, hips, and thighs decreases, the number on the scale may drop quickly, but physical function and strength can decline along with it. Repeated cycles of weight loss under severely restricted food intake also make it harder to consume adequate protein, iron, calcium, and other essential nutrients.
Progressively tightening a corset to achieve a narrower waist does not eliminate body fat. A temporary reduction in food intake caused by wearing a corset, or the compressed appearance of the torso, should not be confused with actual fat loss.
For those who want to change their body shape, tracking body fat and muscle mass together — rather than focusing solely on a lower number on the scale — is the more effective approach. Combining a balanced diet with aerobic exercise and strength training allows a person to manage body fat while preserving the muscle that supports the body.
The narrowed waist a corset creates is a visual change produced by compression. In adults, the ribcage is a skeletal structure that protects the heart and lungs and participates in every breath. Rather than cinching tightly in an attempt to narrow the ribs, managing body fat and muscle in a healthy way — working with one's own skeletal frame — is the safer path to body shaping.
rainbow@heraldcorp.com
