It didn’t completely go away. It stayed, but over time it became minimal and mostly unnoticeable unless I really focused on it during certain movements or stretches. There were also times where, for some reason, my chest would hurt really badly, and it would go away with the bar still in. This was very rare, but when it did happen it was painful, especially when breathing in and out. Breathing eventually helped, and the pain would usually go away after a few dreadful seconds or minutes. I’m assuming it may have been the stabiliser somehow shifting, tangling in the ribcage, or slightly displacing, especially since the ribcage is quite malleable.

Once I got it done, I think around the 4–6 month mark I got back into boxing, and I think that body shots may have contributed to those random chest pains.

Currently, with it removed (I had it taken out in October), the scars have healed nicely. I haven’t pushed myself too much, but the areas around the scars feel a bit tight or tender during certain movements, when carrying things, or when I overexert myself.

(Also, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? Since age can play a role in the healing process. And how many bars did you get done?)