Breathing…..Who Knew You could do it So Wrong?
The previous article written by my colleague Barry Broman regarding posture leads into
today’s topic, breathing. We learn to breathe the second we are born and probably never give it
another thought. With the exception of disease induced breathing problems, one would probably
never even notice they were breathing incorrectly. For most people the problem is caused by
posture.
Over the years we have developed inefficient postures which place us at greater risks for
musculoskeletal injuries. Typically we see a forward head, rounded shoulders, and increased
slumped sitting. Each of these places your diaphragm in a shortened position decreasing its
ability to expand into the abdomen to make room for the lungs. Try simply sitting in a chair and
taking a breath in; now bend over at your hips and try breathing again. Do you feel how hard
your lungs are working to expand? It’s almost uncomfortable just to take a breath.
The main muscle or prime mover for quiet breathing is the diaphragm. During
inspiration, the diaphragm expands into your abdomen causing a decrease in pressure. This then
draws air into your lungs. During expiration the diaphragm relaxes, pressure increases, and air is
forced out. During exercise there is a greater demand for air. In this case several accessory
muscles coming from your neck, shoulders, and back can aid in chest expansion. This is also the
case with poor posture. Have you ever noticed a person in the grocery store walking the aisles
with a cart and their arms fixed to the handle bent over. They are putting themselves at a greater
mechanical advantage to use accessory muscles such as the scalenes and upper trapezius to
breath.
So now you may be wondering, am I breathing correctly? Well try this. Lie down on a
flat surface. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other hand over your lower abdomen.
Take 3-4 deep breaths. Which hand do you feel move first? Most likely you feel the hand on
your chest. Secondary to our poor posture we have developed a shallow upper chest breathing
pattern. Now how do you fix it? Set yourself up the same as above. This time concentrate on
filling your belly with air and keeping your upper chest still. As you exhale pull your abdominal
muscles in. You should keep your neck, shoulders, ribs, and back relaxed. Practice this technique
5-10 minutes, 2-3 times per day. As you master diaphragmatic breathing laying you should also
try in sitting and standing postures.
With some increased effort and attention to your posture and breathing you can be well
on your way to a healthier life. Something as simple as proper breathing can have so many health
benefits. To list a few; improved energy, decreased mental and physical fatigue, improved
circulation, and improved digestion and elimination. For further information you can access
articles regarding the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system at the National Heart and
Lung Institute website. There are also several YouTube videos demonstrating the above
techniques.
Danielle Rodriguez is a private practice licensed physical therapist in Sugar Land. She
may be reached at Sports Therapy Center, 281-980-2997; or online at
www.sportstherapycenter.com .