Breathing, Diaphragm muscle and Movement
Breathing is the foundation for all movement. Respiration (inhale/exhale) is essential for getting adequate oxygen which then the oxygen is supplied to tissue that allows us to move and function.
It’s a lot more complicated than that but you get the point. Breathing also plays an important role in trunk stabilization and movement around the thoracolumbar and lumbopelvic region. Consider the diaphragm, the dome shaped muscle under the lungs that needs to descend as we inhale and fill our lungs with air. The diaphragm is a muscle and needs to contract and relax just like any other muscle and if its function in its ability to contract and relax appropriately then we can start to over utilize other muscles to do the job of the diaphragm. These are called accessory muscles located within the upper chest and neck which can contribute to neck pain, headaches, etc.
There are other muscles within the lower back and pelvic region that are super important success as the anterior (front side) core muscles, lower back muscles (paraspinals, etc.) and pelvic floor; yes there are a ton of muscles at the bottom of the pelvic which are very important for trunk stability in addition to proper bowel and bladder function. If our breathing mechanics aren’t optimal, we may start to under utilize some of these muscle groups and over utilize other muscle groups. Every individual is different and receiving an initial evaluation can be very helpful to get a baseline of a individual and to gain a better understanding about what is going on.
One thing you can focus on depicted in the picture above is keeping the ribcage stacked over the pelvis which is shown in ‘A’. When we keep the ribcage stacked over the pelvis we are able to optimize the function of the diaphragm and create appropriate pressurization within the abdominal cavity. This is a great way to step up prior to performing heavy lifts in the gym or picking up a heavy object at home.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
