Breathing

[matt c]

I know it was briefly mentioned at uni and ive seen barrett and others mention the importance of breathing on this site many times, but i need refreshing on the mechanisms/importance of sternal vs diaphragmatic breathers and both of their relationships/ consequences on the nervous system.
Thanks
matt c

[bernard]

Hi Matt,
You have to read this one (if not already done)
Always begin by an abdominal breathing! (http://www.somasimple.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41)

But I'm sure there are others on the site.

[bernard]

Luke,

I moved the copyrighted material to the Sound of Silence.
http://www.somasimple.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2740

[Luke Rickards]

oops, thanks Bernard.

Luke

[Randy Dixon]

I have a little story about abdominal breathing, it doesn't have any clinical relevance, it's just interesting. when I was about 22 or 23 I applied to a police department in Arizona to become an officer. I passed all the exams and the final step was to take a lie detector test. This was a nerve wracking experience, I suspect for everyone, but certainly for a private, introverted, person such as myself. I had been studying martial arts and tai-chi for several years and abdominal breathing was natural for me, under stress I suppose I had conditioned myself to do this even more. So when I was tested the tester told me, quit breathing with your stomach! I told him I didn't know I was and would try to do better. I got more nervous and apparently did it "worse" than before. The tester was visibly irritated with me, and told me that I was trying to screw up the procedure and that he was going to cancel it if I didn't "breathe normally". I started to consciously chest breathe, at which time, he threw down his marking pen, and called a halt to the session. Eventually I got tested with a more experienced/relaxed operator and passed, but I always remember that a man who had done at least a hundred tests could only consider abdominal breathing "abnormal" or forced.

[Raulan2]

Matt,

I guess I am perplexed by the notion of sternal versus diaphragmatic breathing. Proper breathing is a combination of both. IN order to get a full exhalation the abdominal obliques activate to descend the ribs and allow the diaphragm to obtain a zone of apposition, but the triangularis sterni, or transverse thoracis muscle (depending on author) is the only muscle desinged specifically for descent of the sternum. Both need to occur in proper timing, and then a full inhalation can occur with proper recruitment of muscles. If this zone of appostion is not maintained with eccentric oblique activity then the body will engage the neck accessory muscles in an attempt to elevate the rib cage ( some will call this chest breathing). I think it is important to consider the timing, in my practice we identify three typical patterns that include ansynchrony, dissynchrony, and paradoxial breathing patterns. We spend as much time restoring the timing rathet than just getting "abdominal" breathing, whatever that means.

[bernard]

Raulan,

A "good" breathing is around 0.5 litre. It is not necessary to activate the upper chest muscles. It is just a nonsense.
It seems that you are searching the right muscular activation that is ever different for each patient.

Those who have had tried abdominal breathing do not care of obliques. They are just searching a minimal mouvement that occurs at the belly because the belly is softer than the chest. Less energy is less stress and better breathing.

[Randy Dixon]

Raulan,

Is that what you tell your patients? "According to the Zone of Apposition theory of breathing dynamics you must have a contraction of the triangularis sterni, to allow the descent of the sternum. I have noticed a breathing asynchrony which is interfering with the correct.....etc"? You sound like you have studied this far more than I have, but from what I can remember from overhearing old time PT's who did respiratory therapy, asynchrony and paradoxial breathing is more concerned with the use of ventilators rather than the rather subtle difference in breathing styles. We might be saying the same thing using different language though, or different things using the same language.

I am interested in how you approach the diagnosis and treatment of these altered breathing patterns.

[Raulan2]

Randy,
Paradoxical paterns are easily observed, the patient is pulling stomach in when it should be expanding, I teach the patient to sequence their breathing by blowing a balloon or beach ball in a 90/90 supine position to disengage back extensors during inhalation phase. The patient exhales into the balloon, then pauses 3-4 seconds without pinching the balloon, with tongue on roof of mouth they then inhale through the nose and repeat the process. This engages effecient exhalation and proper position of the diaphragm for the next inhalation. This is done without straining of the cheecks or neck.

Bernard,
I am perplexed by your thoughts that position and shape of the diaphragm don't lessen the effeciency of breathing. My patients consistently report more ease of breathing once they can engage proper sequence, and have a diaphragm that can contract effeciently, and accordingly then have a compliant rib cage.

[bernard]

Raulan,

Perhaps I wasn't clear.
Breathing is a mandatory life process.
Breathing is ruled at first by ANS.
Breathing is normally an automatic process and its energy expenditure/cost must be the least as possible for the precited mandatory reasons.I just want the patients recover this "initial" rule that carries automatically a lowered stressed state.

Praticing breathing is good but it is not my fisrt concern.

[Diane]

Being the only surface treater here as far as I know, I will add this: freeing all the trunk surface with skin work, skin stretch, DNM helps the system to breathe easier. This includes;
1. All dorsal cutaneous branches
2. All lateral cutaneous branches
3. The top 7 anterior cutaneous branches together with posterior cutaneous simultaneously (i.e. main intercostal spinal nerves)
4. Clearing the anterior hips/lower abdominals.

Only takes one or two treatment sessions but can change breathing patterns indefinitely, effortlessly, autonomically. Patient doesn't have to do any hard work or fancy focusing or regimented breathing exercises.

Sorry Matt c., doesn't really add anything to or answer the question you posed.

[nari]

I agree with Bernard and Diane.

Breathing is dependent on the nervous system, not the other way round.

Complex language and complicated routines aren't required for natural breathing. "Diaphragmatic" breathing takes about 20 seconds to teach. Kids learn it even faster. It is quite simple I reckon, even with asthmatics who breathe eternally in upper costal areas.

Or, do as Diane suggests.

Nari

[Randy Dixon]

Breathing is dependent on the nervous system, not the other way round.-Nari

I probably agree with the sentiment here but not what is written. They are interdependent, like most physiological processes.