Proper breathing is deep, from the diaphragm (abdominal breathing), rather than shallow, from the chest. Many people, athletes included, breathe from their chest, which can lead to muscle fatigue and decreased athletic performance (Lewit 1980). This shallow, chest breathing has also been shown to cause respiratory alkalosis, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, and increased sensitivity to pain. Signs of dysfunctional (chest) breathing include forward-leaning head posture and frequent yawning, throat clearing, and mouth breathing.
The diaphragm, in conjunction with the transversus abdominis, multifidus and pelvic floor, is responsible for stabilizing the spine during movement. A deconditioned and poorly aligned diaphragm does not provide the pressure and rigidity needed for proper movement and can result in spinal injury. Shallow breathing during a deadlift, for example, forces the body to choose between stabilizing the lower back and maintaining normal respiration (McGill, Sharratt & Seguin 1995) and respiration wins out every time, making the lower back vulnerable to injury. Shallow-breathing runners often experience tension in their neck and pain in their lower back. Furthermore, chest breathing causes compensation in the scalene muscles, often leading to shoulder pain (Simons, Travell & Simons 1999).
In order to modify your breathing habits, try these techniques. First, lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on floor and arms by your sides. Place your hand on your chest and guide your chest down as you exhale and hold it there while breathing in and out. Hold your chest in this depressed exhalation position while continuing to breathe in and out. Next, focus on abdominal bracing, the abdominal “drawing-in” maneuver I have described in previous posts. You perform an abdominal drawing in maneuver by pulling in the region just above your naval toward your spine, as if you’re pulling your navel away from the waistline of your pants. Begin to perform light exercises in this position, such as raising and lowering your arm and opposite leg. Gradually progress to more aggressive exercises, such as the bird dog, planks, push-ups (see Proper Push-Ups), and lunges.
References
Lewit, K. 1980. Relation of faulty respiration to posture with clinical implications. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 79 (8), 525–29.
McGill, S.M., Sharratt, M.T., & Seguin, J.P. 1995. Loads on the spinal tissues during simultaneous lifting and ventilatory challenge. Ergonomics, 38 (9), 1772–92.
Simons, D.G., Travell, J.G., & Simons, L.S. 1999. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. (Vol. 1, 2nd Edition). Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC
Copyright © 2012
