Ukjent sin avatar

Effects of Respiratory-Muscle Exercise on Spinal Curvature

Nevner hvor mye diafragma og pustemuskler har å si for kontroll og stabilitet i bevegelse. Bla. kjernemuskulatur og intraabdominalt trykk.

http://posturalrestoration.com/media/pdfs/Effects_of_Respiratory-Muscle_Exercise_on_Spinal_Curvature.pdf

Respiratory-muscle exercises are used not only in the rehabilitation of patients with respiratory disease but also in endurance training for ath- letes. Respiration involves the back and abdominal muscles. These muscles are 1 of the elements responsible for posture control, which is integral to injury prevention and physical performance.

The results suggest that respiratory-muscle exercise straightened the spine, leading to good posture control, pos- sibly because of contraction of abdominal muscles.

In competitive sports, the spine of young athletes can have excess thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis because it is the conduit for transferring mechanical power between the upper and lower extremities during rapid and forceful movements.1

Under the influence of these forces, athletes have much degeneration of the intervertebral disks,2 and the loss of disk height with denaturation is associated with increased spine curva- ture.1 Thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis contribute to back pain.3

The loss or increase of lumbar lordosis correlates well with the incidence of chronic low back pain.4,5 In addition, thoracic kyphosis leads to shoulder pain.3

Spinal-alignment control is essential for preventing various injuries. Align- ment depends on muscle strength and balance, muscle tightness, and skeletal structure.9

The trunk muscles are grouped into 2 categories: global and local stabilizers.10 The global stabilizers com- prise superficial muscles such as the rectus abdominis and longissimus muscles, and the local stabilizers are deep muscles, for example, the transverse abdominal and multifidus muscles.10 Cholewicki et al11 reported that thecontraction of local stabilizers is indispensable to trunk stability; that is, the trunk becomes unstable in the case of contraction of global stabilizers alone. The unstable trunk increases stress to the ligament and bone that control the end of motion and cause pain such as back pain.12

Respiratory-muscle exercises are used in the reha- bilitation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease18 and endurance exercise for athletes.19 The muscles comprise the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and the accessory muscles of respiration.20 The accessory muscles of res- piration consist of several of the trunk muscles, includ- ing local stabilizers. Therefore, this study focused on exercises for the respiratory muscles, which have the advantage that the load can be accurately set by regulating frequency and depth of breathing.

Increased spine curvature is responsible for low back pain4,5 and swim- mer’s shoulder,6 so respiratory-muscle exercise may prevent these dysfunctions.

Because muscle strength for trunk flexion was noted to increase only in the exercise group, we conclude that the exercises strongly affected the abdominal muscles. Abe et al32 reported that the transverse abdominal muscle is the most powerful in the abdominal muscle group with respect to respiration. The transverse abdominal muscle may have been specifically targeted in this exercise. This important muscle is a key local stabilizer.

Contraction of the transverse abdominis increases intra-abdominal pressure, which leads to lumbar
straightening.33 In addition, a rise in intra-abdominal pres- sure presses the rib cage upward and effectively allows the extension of the thoracic vertebrae.34

In addition, we attribute the decrease of thoracic curvatures to a stretching effect on the thorax. In a previous study, Izumizaki et al35 reported that thoracic capacity and rib-cage movement were changed by thixotropy, which is the exercise of maxi- mal expiration from maximum inspiration. The stiffness of the rib cage leads to thoracic kyphosis.3 In this study, repetitive deep breathing resolved the stiffness of the rib cage and straightened thoracic kyphosis. This process may be responsible for altering the spinal curvature.

These training methods require a long period of 12 weeks for improvement. By contrast, our intervention period was 4 weeks, so spinal alignment may be improved in a much shorter period.

Ukjent sin avatar

Diaphragm Postural Function Analysis Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Studie som bekrefter alt om diafragma og dens bevegelse. Bl.a. at den har mye mev holdning og bevegelse å gjøre, og at baksiden beveger seg mest. Nevner også hva som er optimal bevegelse av diafragma for best fungere som stabilisator av ryggraden i bevegelse.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0056724

When a load was applied to the lower limbs, the pathological subjects were mostly not able to maintain the respiratory diaphragm function, which was lowered significantly. Subjects from the control group showed more stable parameters of both respiratory and postural function. Our findings consistently affirmed worse muscle cooperation in the low back pain population subgroup

The diaphragm and deep stabilization muscles of the body have been described as an important functional unit for dynamic spinal stabilization [1], [2]. The diaphragm precedes any movement of the body by lowering and subsequently establishing abdominal pressure which helps to stabilize the lumbar part of the spine. Proper activation of the diaphragm within the stabilization mechanism requires the lower ribs to be in an expiratory (low) position. During the breathing cycle, the lower ribs have to stay in the expiratory position and only expand to the sides. This is an important assumption for the straight and stabilized spine. Under these conditions, the motion of the diaphragm during respiration is smooth, and properly helps to maintain abdominal pressure.

Dysfunction of the cooperation among diaphragm, abdominal muscles, pelvic floor muscles and the deep back muscles is the main cause of vertebrogenic diseases and structural spine findings such as hernia, spondylosis and spondylarthrosis [3], [4].

Noen studier å se nærmere på her:
Studies focused on diaphragm activation with the aim of posture stabilization include Hodges[11][14], who concluded phase modulation corresponding to the movement of the upper limbs in diaphragm electromyography records. Some works deal with various modes of diaphragm functions in various respiration types [15], [16] or in situations not directly related to respiration, e.g. activation during breath holding [17]. These studies have always concentrated on healthy subjects who did not exhibit symptoms of respiratory disease or vertebrogenic problems.

Og enda fler å se nærmere på her, spesielt relatert til scoliose:
Gierada [20] also used MRI for observing the anteroposterior size of the thorax, the height of the diaphragm during inspiration and expiration, and also the ventral and dorsal costophrenic angle during maximal breathe in and out. Kotani[21] and Chu [22] assessed chest and diaphragm movements for scoliosis patients. Suga [23]compared healthy subjects and subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), measuring the height, excursions and antero-posterior (AP) size of the diaphragm with the zone of apposition. Paradox diaphragm movements for subjects with COPD were investigated by Iwasawa [10]. Iwasawa used deep breath sequences while comparing diaphragm height and costophrenic angles. The study consisted of healthy subjects and subjects with scoliosis. Kotani [21] concluded that there was ordinary diaphragm motion with limited rib cage motion in the scoliosis group. The position of the diaphragm was measured relative to the apex of the lungs to the highest point of the diaphragm. Chu [22] compared healthy subjects against subjects with scoliosis, finding the same amount of diaphragm movement for both groups. The scoliosis group had the diaphragm significantly lower in the trunk and relatively smaller lung volumes. The distance between the apex of the lungs and the diaphragm ligaments was measured by Kondo [24], comparing young and old subjects. The effect of intraabdominal pressure on the lumbar part of the spine was observed by MRI and pressure measurement by Daggfeldt and Thorstensson [25]. Differences in diaphragm movement while performing thoracic or pulmonary breathing with the same spirometric parameters were tested by Plathow[26]. Plathow also examined the vital capacity of the lungs compared with 2D and 3D views in[27]. He concluded that there was a better correlation between the lung capacity and the 3D scans. In another study, Plathow focused on dynamic MRI. He proved significant correlations among diaphragm length and spirometric values vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and other lung parameters [28].

Nevner også hvordan MRI-funn i ryggraden ikke har noe med smerte å gjøre:
Jensen found no direct connection between certain types of structural changes and LBP. The only structural change related to pain was disk protrusion. Carragee [31] studied MRI findings of 200 subjects after a period of low LBP, and found no direct significant MRI finding related to low back pain.

Nevner at problemer med pustefunksjon kan være en større indikator på ryggsmerter enn forandringer i ryggsøylen:
The way in which the diaphragm is used for non-breathing purposes is affected by it’s recruitment for respiration [32]. There is evidence that the presence of respiratory disease is a stronger predictor for low back pain than other established factors [33]. However, the relationship between the respiratory function and the postural function is widely disregarded[34]. Body muscles coordination for posture stabilization is a complex issue, and the role of the diaphragm in this cooperation has not been intensively studied [35].

Målet med studien:
he main goal is to separate respiratory diaphragm movements from non-respiratory diaphragm movements, and then to evaluate their role in body stabilization.
We investigated diaphragm reactability and movement during tidal breathing and breathing while a load was applied to the lower limbs.

Eksempel på diafragmas bevegelse:

Viser normal(C2) reaksjon på aktivitet(S2) og forskjellen i unormal(C1) reaksjon ved rygglager:

Figure 4. Dif-curves (solid line) and extracted res-curves (red dashed line) and pos-curves (green dotted line).

Example of harmonic breathing (A), breath with a strong postural part after the load occurred (B), harmonic breath which became partly non-harmonic after the load occurred (C, D), and breath which almost lost its ability of respiration movement ability after the load occurred (E, F).

Om hvor mye diafragma beveger seg:

As in the case of respiratory frequency, there was no change in respiratory curve amplitude in the control group when a load was applied to the lower limbs (1823 journal.pone.0056724.e253&representation=PNG journal.pone.0056724.e254&representation=PNG, 1928 journal.pone.0056724.e255&representation=PNG journal.pone.0056724.e256&representation=PNG). By contrast, the pathological group showed lowered excursions when load was applied (870 journal.pone.0056724.e257&representation=PNG journal.pone.0056724.e258&representation=PNG, 540 journal.pone.0056724.e259&representation=PNG journal.pone.0056724.e260&representation=PNG). The inter-situational difference was significantly different amongst the groups with journal.pone.0056724.e261&representation=PNG. In comparison with the pathological group, the control group had 3 times bigger excursions in situation journal.pone.0056724.e262&representation=PNG, and 6.5 times bigger excursions in the situation journal.pone.0056724.e263&representation=PNG.

In addition, the measurements showed great motion of the posterior diaphragm part than of the anterior part. Injournal.pone.0056724.e266&representation=PNG, the antero-posterior ratio was journal.pone.0056724.e267&representation=PNG within the control group and journal.pone.0056724.e268&representation=PNG within the pathological group. In journal.pone.0056724.e269&representation=PNG, the control group raised the range of the posterior part to journal.pone.0056724.e270&representation=PNG mm, resulting in an antero-posterior ratio of journal.pone.0056724.e271&representation=PNG. The pathological group, by contrast, raised the range in the anterior area and reduced the range in posterior area, resulting in an antero-posterior ratio of journal.pone.0056724.e272&representation=PNG.

Om hvordan pusten reagererer annerledes ved ryggsmerter:

We concluded that there was slower and deeper respiratory motion (parameters journal.pone.0056724.e362&representation=PNG) for both observed situations. In addition, after the postural demands rose in situation journal.pone.0056724.e363&representation=PNG, the breathing speed increased significantly (journal.pone.0056724.e364&representation=PNG) in the pathological group. In the same manner the breath depth (journal.pone.0056724.e365&representation=PNG) lessened significantly (journal.pone.0056724.e366&representation=PNG) in the pathological group. There were bigger postural moves in the control group, and they remained bigger in both situations, rising equally for each group.

Ved ryggsmerter er diafragma høyere opp i kroppen og lungene blir mindre:

The inclination of the diaphragm was greater (i.e. it was more verticalized) in the control group. The pathological group had the diaphragm placed significantly higher in the trunk, as indicated by the journal.pone.0056724.e372&representation=PNG parameter.

Om forholdet mellom diafragma og smerte, hd er høyden på diafragma, jo høyere jo mer smerte:

Diaphragm height were the only diaphragm parameter which was statistically significantly correlated (p = 0.0035) with the subjects’ low back pain indicated during the month before imaging. Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.67.

Om hvor mye diafragma beveger seg:
In the results section, we concluded that there is a statistically significant difference in the range of motion (ROM) of the diaphragm. A two and three times greater ROM was noted in the control group, than in the pathological group in situations journal.pone.0056724.e379&representation=PNG and journal.pone.0056724.e380&representation=PNG. In addition, the average diaphragm excursions journal.pone.0056724.e381&representation=PNG (central part) in situation journal.pone.0056724.e382&representation=PNG were journal.pone.0056724.e383&representation=PNG mm in the control group and journal.pone.0056724.e384&representation=PNGmm in the pathological group. In situation journal.pone.0056724.e385&representation=PNG, journal.pone.0056724.e386&representation=PNG was journal.pone.0056724.e387&representation=PNG mm in the control group and journal.pone.0056724.e388&representation=PNG mm in the pathological group.

We observed that the diaphragm was significantly higher for the pathological group. This may be a mechanism by which the pathological group was able to keep the diaphragm excursions more evenly spread after the postural demands increased.

Diafragma beveger seg normalt mer på baksiden:
We also observed that the diaphragm was more contracted in the posterior part for the control group. Diaphragm inclination measurements showed significant lowering of the posterior part of the diaphragm relative to the anterior part of the diaphragm for the control group. The pathological group kept the diaphragm in a more horizontal position.

Suwatanapongched [43]concluded that there was flattening of the diaphragm in the older population in his study. Our results did not show any significant age-related correlation of diaphragm flatness. Instead, the only significant correlation that we observed was between diaphragm height and the LBP intensity of the pathological group during the month before the measurements were made.

Jo høyere opp diafragma er, jo vanskeligerere blir den å bevege:
We assume that this diaphragm bulging is due to worse ability to contract the diaphragm properly. To the best of our knowledge, there are no results in the literature for measurements of diaphragm flatness in subjects suffering from LBP. Worse ability to contract the diaphragm in the pathological group is also supported by the significantly higher position in the trunk.

No correlation was concluded between measured parameters and pain intensity except for bulging (i.e. long term pain) of the diaphragm, as was discussed above. The results indicate that, as the pain is long term, the patients do not change their respiratory patterns according to fluctuations in the chronic LBP.

The significant differences in the harmonicity of the diaphragm motion observed in this study indicate changes in the central nervous system related to diaphragm function in subjects with pathological spinal findings suffering from various intensities of chronic low back pain. Low back pain is a wide-spread and widely studied phenomenon. Alternating respiratory patterns and anatomical changes in the diaphragm have been assessed in LBP subjects. Studies concluding increased susceptibility to pain and injury [1], [13], [49] identified differences in muscle recruitment in people suffering from LBP. Janssens [50] used fatigue of inspiratory muscles, and observed altered postural stabilizing strategy in healthy subjects. Jenssens also observed non-worsening stabilization with an already altered stabilizing strategy in subjects suffering from LBP. Grimstone [51] measured respiration-related body imbalance in subjects suffering from LBP, observing worse stability in subjects with LBP. Kolar [44] investigated differences in diaphragm contractions between healthy subjects and LBP subjects. He observed lesser contractions in the posterior part of the diaphragm while the postural demands on the lower limbs increased, and he suspected that intra-abdominal pressure lowering might be the underlying mechanism of LBP. Roussel [34] assessed the altered breathing patterns of LBP subjects during lumbopelvic motor control tests, concluding that some subjects used an altered breathing pattern to provide stronger support for spinal stability.
In our measurements, we did not observe the same diaphragm excursions in the posterior part of the diaphragm for healthy subjects and for subjects suffering from LBP as were observed by[44]. The excursions were reduced in the pathological group. In contrast with Kolar’s findings[44], we concluded that there was also lowering of the diaphragm inspiratory position in the pathological group in situation journal.pone.0056724.e399&representation=PNG. Our measurements support the hypothesis of less diaphragm contraction in the pathological group, with a significant correlation between diaphragm bulging and the intensity of the patient’s low back pain.

Om hvordan magemuskler er nødvendig for diafragma stabilitet:
In the pathological group, the abdominal muscles lack the ability to hold the ribs in lower position. For this reason, the insertion parts of the diaphragm are not fixed and the diaphragm muscle changes its activation. The diaphragm is disharmonic in its motion, which causes problems with providing respiration and at the same time retaining abdominal pressure. The muscle principle for spine stabilization is therefore violated, and is replaced by a substitute model, which tends more easily toward the emergence of low back pain, spine degeneration or disc hernia.

Reversed causation is always a possibility, i.e. it is possible that the diaphragm behavior is changed in order to stabilize the spine after the deep intrinsic spinal muscles fail. During these changes, breathing patterns may occur, e.g. breath holding and decreased diaphragm excursions.

Our study shows a way to compare the diaphragm motion within the group of controls without spinal findings and those who have a structural spinal finding, e.g. a hernia, etc., not caused by an injury. In this way, we confirm our experience of the influence of the diaphragm on spinal stability and respiration. The control group show a bigger range of diaphragm motion with lower breathing frequency. The diaphragm also performs better harmonicity (coordination) within its movement. The postural and breathing components are better balanced. This fact is very important for maintaining the intraabdominal pressure, which helps to support the spine from the front. For this reason, it plays a key role in treating back pain, hernias, etc. In the group of controls we also found a lower position of the diaphragm while it was in inspiration position in tidal breathing and also while being loaded. These facts also support the ability of the diaphragm to play a key role in maintaining the good stability of the trunk. It is also important that we are able to separate the phases of diaphragm movement. This supports both the postural function and the breathing function of this muscle due to MR imaging.

Ukjent sin avatar

Breathing pattern disorders, motor control, and low back pain

Viktig artikkel fra Leon Chaitow om pustens rolle i ryggsmerter. Beskriver hva som skjer med nervesystemet, med bindevevet og muskelkontroll i ryggraden. Og nevner hvordan progesteron og blodsukker påvirker pusten.

http://leonchaitow.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Breathing%20Pattern%20Disorders%20and%20back%20pain.pdf

«Nixon and Andrews16 have summarised the emerging symptoms resulting from hypocapnoea in a deconditioned individual, as follows: “Muscular aching at low levels of effort; restlessness and heightened sympathetic activity; increased neuronal sensitivity; and, constriction of smooth- muscle tubes (e.g. the vascular, respiratory and gastric- intestinal) can accompany the basic symptom of inability to make and sustain normal levels of effort.” »

«Lum7 notes, “Alkalosis alone cannot fully explain the symptoms [of chronic hyperventilation]. Altitude adaptation allows residents of high altitudes to remain well, despite chronic respiratory alkalosis. In symptomatic hyperventilation however, the PCO2 fluctuates, often wildly, causing constantly changing pH in nerve cells and tissue fluid to which no adaptation is possible…significant amounts of CO2 can be lost in a few minutes of overbreathing, immediately causing respiratory alkalosis. Compensation, by excretion of bicarbonate, is relatively slow and may take hours or days.” »

«Seyal et al36 note that hyperventilation increases the excitability of both cutaneous and motor axons, and that in experimental animals, HVS increases excitability of hippocampal neurons. Their research, involving healthy humans, demonstrates that hyperventilation increases the excitability of the human corticospinal system. »

«Lum 38 reports,: “During moderate hyperventilation, loss of CO2 ions from neurons stimulates neuronal activity, causing increased sensory and motor discharges, muscular tension and spasm, speeding of spinal reflexes, heightened perception (photophobia, hyperacusis) and other sensory disturbances. More profound hypocapnoea, however, increasingly depresses activity. This parallels the clinical state: initial alertness with increased activity, progressing through decreased alertness, to stupor and coma.” »

«An altered pH in the local chemical environment of peripheral nociceptors, such as occurs with respiratory alkalosis, helps to induce mechanical sensitisation and ischaemic pain.47,48 »

«Hodges further hypothesises: “Although investigation of spinal mechanics is required to confirm the extent to which spinal control is compromised by increases in respiratory demand, it is hypothesised that such a compromise may lead to increased potential for injury to spinal structures and reduced postural control. During strenuous exercise, when the physical stresses to the spine are greater, the physiological vulnerability of the spine to injury is likely to be increased.”

«Progesterone is a respiratory stimulant, making patients with BPD most vulnerable during the post-ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle.10 »

«Blood sugar levels are, “clinically the most important of these non-ventilatory factors. When blood glucose is below the middle of the normal range (i.e. below 4.4 mmol/L) the effects of overbreathing are progressively enhanced at lower levels.” 81 «

Ukjent sin avatar

Breathing pattern disorders and physiotherapy: inspiration for our profession

Nevner hva pustetrening kan gjøre for fysioterapeuters behandlingseffekt og hvorfor det er viktig å jobbe med pusten. Viktig studie som også nevner og bekrefter Chaitows arbeid.

«Currently in western medicine, a fundamental push is to encourage healthy life style skills. Education in one of the most fundamental tools, and yet breathing has not been emphasized enough as part of this healthy lifestyle package. »

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/23948119/856437899/name/Breathing%20pattern%20disorders%20and%20physiotherapy.pdf

«The potential for improving the patient’s state, by optimizing their breathing pattern in all their activities, is an important development in physiotherapy. It is a developing area of knowledge which is pertinent to physiotherapy practice as it develops in a biopsychosocial model. »

«Hyperventilation results in altered (CO2) levels, and this is most commonly seen as lowered end tidal CO2 (PET CO2), or fluctuating CO2 levels, and a slower return to normal CO2 levels.34 »

«Research by Hodges et al.56–58 examines the relationship between trunk stability and low back pain. It supports the vital role the diaphragm plays with respect to truck stability and locomotor control. The diaphragm has the ability to perform the dual role of respiration and postural stability. When all systems are challenged, however, breathing will remain as the final driving force.59

In other words ‘Breathing always wins’.60 »

hyperventilering faktorer

 

«Breathing re-education is drug free, appealing to the new paradigm of health for all, and a practice that requires little or no machinery so a low running cost, and initial set-up is minimal for the therapist. »

 

Ukjent sin avatar

Disorders of breathing and continence have a stronger association with back pain than obesity and physical activity

En studie som ofte blir referert til fordi den nevner at ryggsmerte har en større korrelasjon til pust og inkontinens enn til overvekt og aktivitet. Manglende aktivitet i pustemusklene bidrar til minket kontroll over ryggmuskler.

http://svc019.wic048p.server-web.com/AJP/vol_52/1/AustJPhysiotherv52i1Smith.pdf

«Unlike obesity and physical activity, disorders of continence and respiration were strongly related to frequent back pain. This relationship may be explained by physiological limitations of coordination of postural, respiratory and continence functions of trunk muscles.»

» Notably, control of the trunk is dependent on activity of muscles such as the diaphragm (Hodges et al 1997), transversus abdominis (Hodges et al 1999), and pelvic floor muscles (Hodges et al 2002), and reduced postural activity of these muscles has been argued to impair the mechanical support of the spine.»

» Our findings provide initial support for the hypothesis that compromised postural control of these muscles, secondary to disease- specific challenges, may contribute to the development of back pain.»

Ukjent sin avatar

Pain and faulty breathing: a pilot study

Nevner hvordan pusten har sammenheng med smerter, spesielt i nakke, og beskriver normal vs abnormal pustefunksjon.

http://reactivemovement.com/images/stories/pain%20and%20faulty%20breathing.pdf

http://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/article/S1360-8592(03)00085-8/abstract

«Breathing mechanics are influenced directly by

  • * Bio-mechanical factors such as rib head fixations or classical upper/lower crossed patterns of muscle imbalance.
  • * Biochemical factors involving anything that affects the body’s delicate pH balance including allergy, infection, poor diet, hormonal influences or kidney dysfunction.
  • * Psychosocial factors such as chronic anxiety, anger or depression. «

«For example, ketoacidosis, a byproduct of a very popular diet which promotes high protein/low carbohydrate intake, increases the acidic state of the blood which will promote deeper, faster breathing (the higher CO2 content stimulates the breathing drive).»

«Alkalosis causes a decrease in the threshold of peripheral nerve firing, an increase in muscular tension, muscle spasm, spinal reflexes and significantly heightened perception of pain, light and sound. Alkalosis can also result in emotional lability and produce a sense of apprehension and anxiety that frequently leads to panic attacks and phobic behavior (Chaitow et al., 2002; Chaitow, 2000).»

«With each normal (resting) breath this bucket handle movement occurs at every rib level, which has a gentle micro-massaging effect maintaining healthy spinal movement, blood and nutritional flow to the musculo-skeletal struc- tures.»

normal pust

«Although the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior and trapezius are not typically considered accessory respiratory muscles, they assume a more respiratory than postural function in the dysfunctional or paradoxical breath- er and contribute to the faulty pattern of lifting the ribcage up during inspiration (Hruska, 1997). When chest lifting becomes a faulty breathing pattern, chronic lifting of the clavicles creates the appearance of deep clavicular grooves as seen in Fig. 5 (Lewit, 1999).»

unormal pust

«The same criteria were applied for normal (relaxed) breathing as for deep breathing. A ‘‘normal’’ breath according to these criteria would:

  1. Initiate in the abdomen, which would expand outward during inhalation and inward during exhalation.
  2. Have some degree of horizontal lower rib motion (even if slight).
  3. Have no lifting up motion in the upper ribs.
  4. Have no clavicular grooves. «

«Only one type of pain had a statistically significant relationship with faulty breathing – neck pain»

«This study showed that 87.2% of the participants have experienced some sort of musculo-skeletal pain. This high percentage is no surprise. What was remarkable were the high percentages of this sample population with faulty breathing me- chanics; 56.4% of the population studied had faulty relaxed breathing and 75% showed faulty breathing when taking a deep breath. »

«If the results of this study reflect the general population, as clinicians your chances are 3 in 4 that the new patient you see today will have some level of abnormal breathing patterns.»

«But why is the relationship between faulty breathing and neck pain so pervasive?
The answer may be simply that the most common fault in respiration of lifting the thorax with the accessory muscles of respiration instead of widen- ing it in the horizontal plane overstrains the cervical spine and musculature, contributing to recurrent cervical syndromes (Lewit, 1999)»

«He especially found this in patients with forward head postures, temporo-mandibular dysfunction and chronic sinus problems. Clinically, Hruska has identified hemidiaphragm hypertonicity complementing ipsilateral abdominal and oblique muscle weakness and contra lateral cervical symptoms (Hruska, 1997).»

«This study has shown that normal patterns of breathing are the exception rather than the rule. An overwhelming 75% of those studied exhibited faulty breathing mechanics. If the results of this study reflect the general population, as clinicians, your chances are 3 in 4 that the new patient you see today will have faulty breath- ing patterns.»