The symptoms of a mild sternal fracture are mainly localized swelling and pressure pain in the front center of the chest which is also the sternum. If the fracture is mild, there is usually no collapse of the sternum in shape and the pain is aggravated by deep breathing, coughing or chest exertion. This is because when a person breathes and coughs, the thorax will stretch, and when the stretching undulates causing a slight movement of the fracture, so there will be an increase in localized pain. Another special physical examination of the thoracic compression sign is to place both hands under the armpits of both chests and squeeze them toward the middle. If there is pain in the middle of the sternum when squeezing, it is called a positive thoracic compression sign, which means that a fracture in the chest is highly suspected.