Breathing during exercise & everyday movements
Humans can go without food for about 3 weeks, and we can go 3 days without water but yet we can only go minutes without oxygen. Our bodies are programmed to breathe without having to consciously remember to do so during activity. At times, our bodies will shift into breath-holding techniques to help increase strength and stability to complete a task or movement. There are times when this can be beneficial, but only in specific circumstances.
In regard to most of the exercises used during physical therapy, you should be able to talk or breathe normally throughout the exercise. If your therapist notices you not breathing, you typically will hear a cue, “remember to breathe.” Rehabilitation or PT exercises are given to help retrain your body for functional tasks such as washing the dishes, lifting your child, or reaching up in the cupboard. If you are unable to coordinate your breath with the exercise during the PT session, you are most likely adapting to a breath-holding technique during your everyday tasks as well. These compensatory movements can put you at more risk for injury or pain.
The brain and the body will “bear down” or momentarily stop breathing to increase pressure in the abdomen to create stability for the spine. This makes breathing much more difficult or nearly impossible. However, when performing a max effort movement, this may be the most efficient and strongest position to complete the movement.
The general rule of thumb is to breathe out during the most difficult part of the movement i.e. straightening the arms in a push-up, standing up a dead lift or squat, or pulling up for a pull up. With isometric exercises such as a plank, breathing should be able to be maintained throughout the duration of the rep.
I challenge you to pay attention to your breathing patterns — are you holding your breath during different movements such as lifting your child or getting in your car? What do you notice? We’d love to see you for a free consultation and conduct a breathing assessment! Call us today: 515-207-0172 or email us at [email protected].