Back pain got you down? This osteopath's simple trick can help! — Hint: You need to fix your breathing technique
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We all know the importance of breathing, but did you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to breathe? Proper breathing techniques are important for overall health and well-being, and can even help to improve physical mobility.
According to Brendon Talbot, a Canadian osteopath, there's a simple trick that could help determine whether an individual is breathing properly, revealing that many people are actually not doing it correctly.
So, how can you tell if you're doing it wrong?
Mr Talbot says that all you need to do is to lay down with one open hand on your stomach and one on your chest.
Next, take deep breaths and observe which of your hand moves more as you inhale and exhale.
He then explains that if your ribs move faster than your stomach, you're breathing properly, whereas if your stomach moves faster than your ribs, you're not breathing from your diaphragm.
The expert said: "Although there are many benefits from diaphragmatic breathing, it should be used as an exercise."
"There are muscles involved in breathing. If you're not using them, they will weaken over time making it harder to take a deep breath."
Proper breathing can help with back pain and other mobility issues. Credit: TikTok/@btosteopathy.
How can you improve your breathing technique?
Mr Talbot advises breathing "into your upper hand" (or chest, in this case) as the lungs are located in the chest and not in our stomach.
"When they fill with air our ribcage should move," he said.
"Restriction here can lead to many different symptoms."
The video captured the attention of social media users, with many expressing their shock over the simple fact that not everyone breathes properly.
One person wrote: "Every day I’m more and more amazed at HOW THE HECK AM I STILL ALIVE?! I don’t even know how to breathe properly."
Another shared: "OMG!! My chiro told me 3 weeks ago to breathe this way due to T7 [back] pain. Since then, NO MORE PAIN."
"I'm able to take deep breaths finally! This WORKS."
For those of you who are looking for more detailed information on how to breathe correctly, here are some tips from the Brisbane Spine Clinic:
So, there you have it, folks! We are honestly looking forward to trying these tips ourselves because we're experiencing some back pain every now and then (signs of aging!). How about you? Will you be giving these recommendations a go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
According to Brendon Talbot, a Canadian osteopath, there's a simple trick that could help determine whether an individual is breathing properly, revealing that many people are actually not doing it correctly.
So, how can you tell if you're doing it wrong?
Mr Talbot says that all you need to do is to lay down with one open hand on your stomach and one on your chest.
Next, take deep breaths and observe which of your hand moves more as you inhale and exhale.
He then explains that if your ribs move faster than your stomach, you're breathing properly, whereas if your stomach moves faster than your ribs, you're not breathing from your diaphragm.
The expert said: "Although there are many benefits from diaphragmatic breathing, it should be used as an exercise."
"There are muscles involved in breathing. If you're not using them, they will weaken over time making it harder to take a deep breath."
Proper breathing can help with back pain and other mobility issues. Credit: TikTok/@btosteopathy.
How can you improve your breathing technique?
Mr Talbot advises breathing "into your upper hand" (or chest, in this case) as the lungs are located in the chest and not in our stomach.
"When they fill with air our ribcage should move," he said.
"Restriction here can lead to many different symptoms."
The video captured the attention of social media users, with many expressing their shock over the simple fact that not everyone breathes properly.
One person wrote: "Every day I’m more and more amazed at HOW THE HECK AM I STILL ALIVE?! I don’t even know how to breathe properly."
Another shared: "OMG!! My chiro told me 3 weeks ago to breathe this way due to T7 [back] pain. Since then, NO MORE PAIN."
"I'm able to take deep breaths finally! This WORKS."
For those of you who are looking for more detailed information on how to breathe correctly, here are some tips from the Brisbane Spine Clinic:
- Sit or lie comfortably on your back.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your rib cage.
- Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling your belly move out against your hand. Maintain as much stillness as possible with your hand on your chest.
- Pull your abdominal muscles in towards your rib cage as you exhale through pursed lips. Again, keep your hand on your chest.
So, there you have it, folks! We are honestly looking forward to trying these tips ourselves because we're experiencing some back pain every now and then (signs of aging!). How about you? Will you be giving these recommendations a go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!