When acute back pain strikes, we are often left looking for ways to feel better fast. Deep breathing exercise can be a wonderful way to relieve acute and chronic back pain alike. Breathing exercises take hardly any time, require no equipment, and can be done anywhere.

Breathing 101

We breathe every minute, of every hour of every day. In fact, we take on average about 20,000 breathes a day. For these reasons many of us don’t think twice about how we breathe or if the quality of breathe can influence our systems.

Breathing is the process that allows us to move air in and out of our lungs. Breathing is a movement pattern, and much like our gait cycle, can be performed in an efficient or inefficient manor. An efficient breathing pattern will allow for good exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide while minimizing the stress on our bodies. In contrast, a bad breathing pattern can lead to poor gas exchange and place unwanted stress on muscles and joints.

A good breath requires a balance between our nervous system and musculoskeletal system and is important for our overall health. Breathing happens on both a conscious level and unconscious level and strongly influences our thought processes and body.

The inhalation portion of our breath is driven by the contraction of the diaphragm, a domed muscle that is found between our thorax and abdomen. When the diaphragm contracts it creates negative pressure in our lungs, which causes air to enter our systems. The diaphragm is an important core muscle that is underestimated in many rehabilitation and training programs. A good quality breath engages the diaphragm while the shoulders and chest remain relaxed. The abdominal wall will be seen to move outward with the inhalation and inward with the exhalation.

The core muscles surround our spine like a cylinder. The diaphragm is the top of the cylinder while the pelvic floor and glutes are the bottom of the cylinder. All parts of the cylinder must work together to give our spine the stability it needs throughout our daily tasks. If the diaphragm is not being used correctly, then chances are the rest of the core is also being misused.

Breathing and Pain

When pain is present, we fall into a less than ideal breathing pattern. This is because when we are in pain our nervous systems signals our body to ‘prepare to fight or flight.’ In this scenario, the nervous system cares only about exchanging air, or the quantity of breathe, not about the quality of breath. For example, the same thing happens to our gait patterns when we sprain our ankle. Our nervous system alters how we walk, giving us a limp, to protect the injured or damaged tissues.

Just like a limp, this movement compensation stays with us longer than it is needed. Recent research published in the European Spine Journal demonstrates that patients with chronic low back pain have different breathing patterns during activity when compared to their non-low back pain counterparts. While an altered breathing pattern may be beneficial for temporary survival in a ‘fight or flight response,’ it is not beneficial for our long-term health and it must be addressed.

Breathing Self Test

Checking your breathing pattern is simple, reliable and can be done in any position. Begin by placing your left hand on your stomach and right hand on your chest. Take a breath in, and notice how your chest and stomach are respectively moving. If your right hand is moving more than your left, this indicates you are using an upper respiratory dominant breathing strategy. If your left hand is moving as you inhale, more than likely you are breathing using the correct pattern.

Breathing as an Exercise

To begin your deep breathing exercise, lie on your back with your legs in a comfortable position. Again, place your left hand on your belly and your right hand on your chest. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise.

Begin the breath by slowly inhaling through your nose making sure to pull air into your belly. Your shoulders should stay relaxed and your left hand should rise up with your belly as you inhale. Exhale slowly through your mouth, progressively pulling your belly button towards your spine as you breathe out. With practice, you will be able to slow this cycle down, melting away the tension in your neck and back and enhancing the gas exchange in your lungs.

The merits of breathing exercises have long been recognized by ancient practices, such as martial arts and yoga. Deep breathing can help you decrease your pain by activating your deep core muscles and reducing tension in other key muscles. So next time you experience acute pain, lie on your back, place a pillow under your knees and breathe the pain away.

Chris is a sought after Physical Therapist and Performance Enhancement Specialist who holds over 12 years of experience working with athletes of all ages and levels. Follow the link to get more great info on how to relieve back pain Feeling Pretty Remarkable

Chris is a sought after Physical Therapist and Performance Enhancement Specialist who holds over 12 years of experience working with athletes of all ages and levels. http://www.FeelingPrettyRemarkable.com

Author Bio: Chris is a sought after Physical Therapist and Performance Enhancement Specialist who holds over 12 years of experience working with athletes of all ages and levels. Follow the link to get more great info on how to relieve back pain Feeling Pretty Remarkable

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: breathing, low bak pain, pain relief, fitness,