Neck pain is a very common complaint that I see in practice. The causes of this discomfort can vary dramatically. Some new research suggests that poor breathing patterns may affect how the neck functions and therefore could be a contributing factor for neck pain.
Continue reading to find out what the research revealed and why your breathing technique can affect your neck function.
Continue reading to find out what the research revealed and why your breathing technique can affect your neck function.
In this research, they took 36 people with chronic neck pain and re-educated them with 3 breathing patterns for 30 minutes. They measured the pain intensity, the range of motion of the neck and the chest expansion during breathing. They also evaluated several muscles (Upper trapezius, anterior scalene, and sternocleidomastoid muscles) in the neck during normal and deep breathing.
What they found was that the pain intensity and the muscle activity were significantly decreased after the breathing re-education. There was also a significant increase in the range of motion of the neck after the re-education.
The researchers concluded that breathing re-education can lead to an improvement in neck range of motion and may result from the improvement in the diaphragm contraction or reduced activity of accessory muscles.
Here is my take on why breathing re-education can help neck pain
When we are breathing the diaphragm is the main muscle we should be using. Often during times of increased exertion there are accessory breathing muscles that help us to breathe. These muscles (Upper trapezius, anterior scalene, and sternocleidomastoid muscles) are located in the neck and upper back. If we are breathing poorly these muscles can become more active, used when they are not supposed to be used, go into spasm and end up causing neck pain and restricted movement of the neck. By retraining your breathing and using the diaphragm more effectively, these muscles will become less active and therefore the discomfort associated with these muscles will decrease and your neck motion could improve.
Do you think that you may be using your accessory breathing muscles too much? or not using your diaphragm enough? In my next article, I will explain a simple breathing technique for you to try. This Diaphragmatic breathing exercise will help re-educate your breathing.
References:
Yeampattanaporn O, Mekhora K, Jalayondeja W, Wongsathikun J. Immediate effects of breathing re-education on respiratory function and range of motion in chronic neck pain. J Med Assoc Thai. 2014 Jul;97 Suppl 7:S55-9.
What they found was that the pain intensity and the muscle activity were significantly decreased after the breathing re-education. There was also a significant increase in the range of motion of the neck after the re-education.
The researchers concluded that breathing re-education can lead to an improvement in neck range of motion and may result from the improvement in the diaphragm contraction or reduced activity of accessory muscles.
Here is my take on why breathing re-education can help neck pain
When we are breathing the diaphragm is the main muscle we should be using. Often during times of increased exertion there are accessory breathing muscles that help us to breathe. These muscles (Upper trapezius, anterior scalene, and sternocleidomastoid muscles) are located in the neck and upper back. If we are breathing poorly these muscles can become more active, used when they are not supposed to be used, go into spasm and end up causing neck pain and restricted movement of the neck. By retraining your breathing and using the diaphragm more effectively, these muscles will become less active and therefore the discomfort associated with these muscles will decrease and your neck motion could improve.
Do you think that you may be using your accessory breathing muscles too much? or not using your diaphragm enough? In my next article, I will explain a simple breathing technique for you to try. This Diaphragmatic breathing exercise will help re-educate your breathing.
References:
Yeampattanaporn O, Mekhora K, Jalayondeja W, Wongsathikun J. Immediate effects of breathing re-education on respiratory function and range of motion in chronic neck pain. J Med Assoc Thai. 2014 Jul;97 Suppl 7:S55-9.
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