If you have worked with me as a physical therapy patient in McLean or Bethesda, you know I love talking about breathing.
This is usually well received, but sometimes people look at me like I have two heads.
I get it because I used to think the same thing. “I’m here in physical therapy because my shoulder hurts, and now you are giving me breathing exercises.”
I bring a breathing component into many drills that I prescribe because our body adjusts to the position where it feels most comfortable. That position is the one it can best breathe in.
Sometimes, these adjustments impact the body’s ability to move, resulting in joint pain.
As physical therapists, we can help you correct these problems with drills that assist you in breathing more effectively where you are restricted.
Let’s start by focusing on where the breath comes from.
The lungs are located inside the rib cage. Our rib cage is designed to expand in 360 degrees when we breathe in and compress in 360 degrees when we breathe out. Think of it like an accordion.
When an area of our rib cage is restricted, our breathing is also.
Sometimes, our entire rib cage is stiff, causing people to compensate with an exaggerated belly breath.
While the belly is meant to move with the rib cage, it should not move in place of it. Don’t forget the lungs are in the rib cage, not the stomach!
Pay attention to my breathing cues in this 90/90 hip lift video, beginning at the 50 second mark. I begin with a silent inhale through the nose and a long sigh through the mouse before pausing for 5 seconds. This ensures that my chest and stomach rise as I inhale and reverse as I exhale.
Try including this breathing strategy in your stretches or mobility work, and nasal breath when at rest. Here is an article on the importance of doing so!
