feels like there is a steel band ...

Many COPD and asthma pts describe a highly unpleasant  feeling  of having like a tight narrow (inch or so) steel band around one's chest a.  Pls explain the etiology of this symptom  (if known) especially its narrowness which doesn't seem to correlate with any anatomical structure and its clinical significance (dx, tx etc) if any. thanks , xxx

[National Jewish]

I would agree that this common symptom does not have an anatomic correlate. It is most likely chest wall pain, secondary to the chronic chest expansion seen with both asthma and COPD.
Such a pain could also come from the heart and it would be important to rule-out heart disease as a cause.

[cajun54]

This type of pain is from the respiratory muscles between ribs tighening in response to overwork. It is common in copd, during asthma flare ups etc.  But it is muscular.