I've been mulling over ways I might try to model and shape something to help with my chronic thoracic issues. It's been over 10 years and I've not been able to get effective help. I don't want to talk about that mess and the truly massive scope of what I've done and been through.
I'm not in super lean shape, but I'm not obese by any measure. I'm thinking about trying different ways to stiffen the area around rib 5-6. I'm mostly concerned with how to conform to the shape, skin, muscle, and fat as comfortably as possible while applying pressure. I just don't have a well grounded idea for a starting point.
The best I have felt in the last ten years was after I fell and fractured rib 5 and/or 6 at the beginning of May in 2020. I know it was a fracture from the ~3 weeks of feeling needles when I breathed in, like with prior rib fractures. With Covid at the time, there was no chance I was going for a rib xray just to tell me what I already knew. There is nothing to be done for a rib anyways. The swelling from that injury relieved all of the pain I experience in my back. It was the best two weeks I've had. I even had 4 epidural injections before. That was an almost equivalent level of relief, but it lasted less than 3 days.
If I can recreate a similar pressure as from that break, it is a long shot, but it might make me functional. My physicality is quite limited, but I have lots of fabrication and CAD skills. I think I'm in a place where I want to try and make a solution. Major spending is a no go, but I may try modeling a 3d print first as it is the least labor intensive. Otherwise, I might try leather, or worst case I'll use a clay mold and fiberglass or carbon fiber composite to create a form. Advice, experience, approachable reading materials, or examples of what others have created are welcome and what I'm asking for.
I struggle to stay positive and motivated in this kind of project. I have little interest in medical or anatomy, and really struggle with large unknown projects like this, especially anything that could create hope and large disappointments from inevitable iterative failures. I am both extremely close to being healthy and functional, but it is absolutely empirically out of reach even if it is close enough to touch.
I'm guessing 3d printing would be the way to go since you can prototype quickly. You can eventually make it out of other materials with molds and cnc machines. Fusion 360 is free if you get the hobby version, it's my personal go to option but there is tinkercad and a few others as well.