Dooley Noted: 7/22/2014
Breathing is a highly debated topic.
We sometimes need sharp building of intraabdominal pressure to lift heavy things, like kids, couches, grocery bags, and weights.
While we strive for all nasal, silent breathing, sometimes we can improve tissue extensibility through power breathing. We can also use it as an assessment to find flaws in quiet breathing that may have been hiding.
Power breathing involves the building of increased intraabdominal pressure through a sharp inhalation that is optimally nasal. Nasal breathing does not involve the jaw, and sharp nasal breathing is more likely to utilize the abdomen, as is optimal.
Why not open the mouth in inhalation? Depressing the jaw locks the hyoid, preventing its movement to allow for a more patent airway. Also, if you’re tensing the suprahyoid muscles for breathing, then that is tension you could be using elsewhere.
Mouth breathing also takes the tongue farther from the roof, allowing the tongue to project posteriorly. This lets the epiglottis also project back, allowing less air into the larynx.
Assessing quiet breathing:
1. Look for full abdominal filling in a dome-like fashion from pubic symphysis to xiphoid, with the chest being the last thing to expand.
2. Look for lateral thoracic and abdominal filling on inhalation.
3. Look for posterior filling into back musculature on inhalation.
1-3 should sequence in unison. Oftentimes, you’ll see sequencing issues. This includes the following:
1. Jumpiness in the abdomen
2. Lack of filling of certain abdominal parts, including pelvic areas near inguinal ligaments
3. Rib flare
Look for client compensations on the next breath, at the time of improper sequencing. Then, ask where the patient feels constricted on breathing.
Then, switch to power breathing. Include a sharp inhalation, followed by a slow leak of exhalation to maintain intraabdominal pressure. Imagine letting a small bit of air out of a tire you are filling up.
Some methods for exhalation:
1. Hissing
2. Shushing
3. Kee-yah
4. Coughing
Again, you are looking on the inhalation and exhalation where the person is possibly missing sequence through visualization, palpation, and inquiry where the client feels tension/restriction.
Let the compensation/restricted area guide your release techniques to help improve breath sequencing. These corrections will have transfer into quiet breathing, also.
Power breathing can be very helpful as a practice to eliminate compensations and improve abdominal muscle extensibility and contractile sequencing.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley