Is chest binding possible with arthritis?

Costochondritis, a condition where the cartilage of the rib cage gets inflamed, is already discussed as a side effect of wearing a chest binder. But what about when you have pre-existing costochondritis and want to chest bind? I’ve tried and failed to find advice for, or even a single mention of, people with arthritis or other chronic illnesses who want to bind their chests. Maybe I just haven’t found the right Reddit post. I haven’t really found a good solution for myself so far, but I can share the frustrations I’ve been through.

Chest binding: A brief introduction

Chest binding is the practice of someone making their chest appear flatter. It’s often done by transgender and nonbinary people, and occasionally by people in theater or looking for a really good costume. There are companies that make commercial chest binders, a lot of which look like undershirts or sports bras, and some people also use sports bras, camis, and layering to achieve a flatter look. (Things like duct tape, plastic wrap, and Ace bandages are not safe to be used as chest binders! There’s a lot to know about binding, so research before starting.) That much pressure on your chest isn’t always healthy for the body; the Wikipedia page for costochondritis even lists chest binding as a possible cause.

However, costochondritis can happen for many other reasons, including injuries, strains, and infections. Arthritis is another big cause of it, whether it be rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, or another kind. Costochondritis causes pain with coughing or deep breathing which might be sharp, aching, or feel like pressure. A lot of people end up in the emergency room, because it can feel like a heart attack. For me, even light touches on my sternum can cause pain, and running makes me feel like I’m being stabbed in the chest. Sometimes it hurts to breathe.

Since I value breathing, costochondritis isn’t something that can be ignored for the sake of chest binding.

My attempts to make it work

I haven’t ever tried a commercial chest binder, like those available from gc2b or Underworks. At first, they were too expensive for me to buy, and now, they’re too expensive for me to buy only to discard because of pain. (If anyone with costochondritis has had a wonderful, largely pain-free experience with a commercial chest binder, though, I’m eager to change my mind.) I’ve tried many of the commonly used methods of chest binding short of buying a commercial binder: two sports bras, high support sports bras, camisole folding, and DIY binding.

Two sports bras was probably the first thing I tried. I’ve seen lots of variations of it: two on top of each other, one forwards and one backwards, one folded up on itself and one on normally. The bands always seem to end up on top of each other for me, though, and that’s a problem. The pressure from both the bands is too much for my poor ribs.

Sometimes the pressure from even one sports bra is too much, especially the ones meant for high support. Those kinds of bras work wonders for flattening my chest—just one will do it—but I can only stand them for about an hour. Some days, I can’t even stand a normal, less restrictive sports bra for more than an hour, so sports bras as binders are a no-go for me.

Something I attempted a few months ago was my own (sort-of) chest binder. (Important: DIY binders may not be safe.) I had some thick, stretchy fabric lying around from an engineering project, stretchable in all directions but thick enough to have some strength to it. I cut a long, thin piece, folded it in half, and wrapped it around my chest, covering it with a cami to keep it up. (The first prototype used binder clips to fasten it—there’s something so right about that, it’s wrong.) I wrapped it more loosely than a sports bra would squeeze me, but the thickness of the fabric over my chest meant it flattened it out more than a sports bra would.

Unfortunately, it was hot and made my back muscles hurt, but it didn’t leave marks on my skin or put too much pressure on the lower part of my rib cage since it distributed the weight evenly over the whole band. The material was also soft and comfortable. All in all, I wish I had more clothing design knowledge, because it could probably be improved a lot. (If anyone wants to go into business with me, I’m sure the disability-friendly chest binder industry will be the next hot market.)

Something I’ve seen that may be useful for others with costochondritis uses a cami. The cami is put on backwards and then folded up. My chest is too big for it to work, but it seems like the ultimate low-compression binding option.

Better than nothing?

In general, my go-to options when I want a flatter look have become low-support things like camis and bralettes with no padding. They keep me from showing through my clothes while minimizing my chest profile. This definitely doesn’t result in a completely flat look, though, and it also wouldn’t work for anyone with a larger chest to begin with.

Unfortunately, I haven’t found a better solution for myself, but I want to get it out there that this problem exists. If anyone reading this has come across something that works for them, I would love to hear about it! Maybe one day, there will be an easier answer for chest binding with arthritis.

-Bri

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