Did you know that there is evidence linking dysfunctional breathing to chronic neck and low back pain?
As a Ballito physio at Amy Stranack Physiotherapy I have seen a lot of patients over the past 15 years with neck pain and I can confirm that dysfunctional breathing patterns have been at the root of many of these cases.
A lot of people, especially when tense, stressed or focusing, use mostly the top of their lungs to breathe instead of breathing right into the base of the lungs. This causes the diaphragm to remain fixed upwards like an open umbrella instead of opening downwards like an upside down open umbrella. The upside down umbrella causes there to be more lung capacity/space whereas the right side up umbrella position causes less lung capacity.
The shoulders lift up to compensate for this right side up umbrella diaphragm in an attempt to increase the lung space and this causes shortening of all the neck muscles that lift your shoulders such as the levator scapulae, upper traps and scalenes. This is what the patient will come to a Ballito physio for as the shortening and overuse of these muscles leads to tightness and the development of trigger points which leads to pain and even headaches (see headaches blog on my website).
Ballito Physio on How Dysfunctional Breathing and Chronic Low Back Pain are Linked
The core of the lumbar spine is formed by a box of muscles that surround and are supposed to protect the lumbar spine like a natural back brace. The diaphragm forms the top of the box, the multifidi muscles next to the spine of the low back form the back, the transversus abdominis (a deep abdominal muscle) makes up the front and the pelvic floor the base.
Studies have shown that after just 1 minute of dysfunctional breathing the postural and therefore protective function of the diaphragm and transversus abdominis is reduced or absent. This leaves the low back without its natural brace and therefore vulnerable to injury. This evidence shows that pilates alone, without correct breathing, is not enough to prevent low back pain. Also, when the transversus abdominis is not fully functioning then the quadratus lumborum muscle takes over to protect the low back and leads to overuse of this muscle which is a very common source of pain in the patients that I see as a Ballito Physio.
At Amy Stranack Physiotherapy patients are shown how to practice the correct way of breathing so that this can, with time, become their default method of breathing. Therefore, preventing chronic tension and pain in the neck and low back. Soft tissue mobilisation, stretches and dry needling can also be used to treat the muscles that have been overworking for all the years there has been dysfunctional breathing which, together with breathing re education, will provide lasting pain relief.
For additional reading on the link between dysfunctional breathing and chronic low back pain you can follow this link:
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