Chest Binding

I would imagine there being a period where your body needs to adjust to it, much like tucking and taping... The felt weird for like a week, now I don't even notice it.

 

Eh... I'd imagine that isn't very healthy, constricting yourself like that... not the best person to say, though, obviously

 

I think it's not too healty.

 

I would think it's fine. Just remember people used to wear corsets so tight internal organs had to readjust themselves, they did this for a while. Just gotta ease into it

 

Any kind of shapewear (from corsets to Spanx) 'squishes' or readjusts your organs to a degree. But the great thing about internal organs - SURPRISE! - is that organs are not meant to be static! In the case of corsets, the organs that they 'squish' or move around are things like your intestines, which, y'know, are meant to do that. Your organs squish and move just taking a breath or going to the bathroom. If they didn't move, you'd die! Fun fact: Using corsets to waist train doesn't usually move your organs around any more than your organs would move if you were pregnant. Bodies are cool things!!!

That being said, the kind of compression you get from a binder is FAR different than the kind of compression you get from a corset. I know a lot about corsets. I don't know AS much about binders (but I've been doing my research as I intend to buy one in the near future). I do know that corsets really only put pressure on your waist, which, as I've just explained, is a really squishy area where all the innards are generally BUILT to move around a lot, but your upper ribcage is a different story. You can't actually 'reduce' your upper ribcage effectively like you can with a corset, so again its a different type of pressure in a different place for a different purpose. This means comparing the two is a bit like apples and oranges. Bottom line (from what I know, anyways) : Are there health risks to corseting? Yes, if you go way too fast in a corset that is not properly built for waist training or a corset that doesn't fit you properly, or have a PRE-EXISTING medical condition that could be exacerbated by the corset. Are there health risks to binding? Yeah, if you do it wrong (with duct tape or ACE bandages) or wear the binder for too long, have a poorly fitting binder, or, again, have a pre-existing medical condition that may cause problems. But bodies are marvelous things that can adapt to a lot of stressors. I think if you can breathe easily, its PROBABLY not too tight (someone experienced with chest binding can feel free to correct me on this). But disclaimer, I'm not a doctor, just a person who seems to like clothing that compresses the body and has done a great deal of research. An adjustment period was mentioned by a previous poster and that would make sense - its the same way with corsets (if we're going to compare the two just because they're both compression wear). But if its hurting you or you feel like you can't breathe, don't do it! Easing into it is a good tip. Best of luck!

 

Corsets were focused around the unprotected waist, too. Chest binding goes around the ribcage, which is pretty strong (if significantly weaker at the sides), and as long as you can breathe comfortably you're fine. You'd be taking it off to go to sleep and hopefully also just when you're relaxing at home.
edit/ NotbrokenYet had a very good explanation!

 

Just realized some really bad wording in my previous post, and I don't want it to cause confusion: "You can't actually 'reduce' your upper rib cage effectively like you can with a corset..." <-- Corsets do not reduce your upper rib cage, its extremely difficult as far as I know to reduce your upper rib cage regardless of what's causing the pressure. A corset should not put pressure on the upper rib cage - corsets should fit your rib and hip measurements exactly. They may put pressure on the floating ribs at the bottom of the rib cage, but again, those are meant to move. I've HEARD of people who have had some alteration of their upper ribs from binders (or cracked/bruised ribs from ones that were too tight), but this was only after wearing the binder all day every day for years and years. But the purpose of a binder is not to alter the ribs, its only meant to flatten breasts which are mostly fat. The point of that poorly worded sentence was that it was a different type of pressure than a corset in a different place than a corset for a different purpose than that of a corset, which still holds true. I just don't want anyone thinking that people train down their entire rib cages, because you see a lot of poorly hung sets of ribs that look super narrow all the way down that are supposedly 'corset damaged' and it just isn't true. I don't know if this will be of interest to anyone or be helpful, but it was really bothering me so I felt I needed to set that straight. ^^;;

 

What I meant was to gradually get it tighter not to squish your lungs ^^

 

This is going to sound like a really stupid question but why do ace bandages cause damage? I don't intend to use bandages. I'm looking around for binders but I'm just curious to know.

 

I would think it the same as taping down stairs... Too tight and it can "cut" into the exposed skin on the bandage edge

 

When you have an injury, you use an ace bandage because the constriction get tighter when the swelling goes up. When you use ace bandages as a binder they constrict as you take a breath which is even worse for your body than actual binders. No matter how you wear a good-fitted binder, you're likely to have some sort of issue sometime, but at least proper binders let you breathe a little bit.