Disclaimer - Any exercises recommended here are for educational purposes only, and before you try any of them, consult with your therapist or doctor.

Top Four Breathing and Rib Cage Exercises

To support better breathing and reduce tension in your rib cage, start with these four targeted exercises.

1. Seated Deep Belly Breathing

• Sit upright with one hand on your belly.
• Slowly breathe in through your nose, letting your belly expand.
• Then breathe out through your mouth and relax.
• Repeat 4 to 5 breaths.
• Deep belly breathing helps relax the body and reduce tension. Move slowly and breathe comfortably.

2. Seated Side Rib Breathing

• Sit tall and place your hands on the sides of your ribs.
• Breathe in and feel your ribs gently expand outward.
• Then breathe out fully.
• Repeat 10 to 15 breaths.
• Breathing into the sides of the ribs helps improve chest movement and posture.

3. Supine Diaphragm Breathing

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, or place a pillow under your knees for comfort.
• Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.
• Breathe in slowly through your nose for about 3 to 4 seconds. Feel your belly rise into your lower hand while your chest stays as quiet as possible.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for about 4 to 6 seconds, as if gently blowing through a straw. Feel your belly fall.
• Relax for a moment, then repeat this breathing cycle 4 to 5 times.

4. Box Breathing

• Sit comfortably and breathe in through your nose for 3 seconds.
• Hold that breath for 3 seconds.
• Exhale for 3 seconds, and then hold the exhalation for 3 seconds.
• Repeat this 3 to 5 times.
• Rhythmic breathing can help calm the nervous system and reduce muscle tension.

AI Prompt of the Month:

What if the pain-free version of you could send a message back? Use AI to write yourself a letter from six months in the future - when your back feels better and you remember what it took to get there.

Open ChatGPT at chat.openai.com and paste this prompt:

Write me a short, warm, encouraging letter from my future self - six months from now - when my back pain has significantly improved.

Here's a little about me and my situation:

• How long I've been dealing with back pain: [e.g., 2 years, 6 months, on and off for a decade]
• What my pain prevents me from doing or enjoying: [e.g., playing with my grandkids, sitting through a movie, sleeping well]
• What I hope to feel like in 6 months: [e.g., able to garden again, wake up without stiffness, go on vacation without worrying]
• One thing I'm willing to commit to: [e.g., doing my PT exercises, walking more, being consistent]

Write the letter in first person, as if I'm writing to my present-day self. Keep it under 200 words. Make it feel real, personal, and hopeful - not cheesy. End with one piece of advice my future self would give me today.

Save it somewhere you'll see it. Your future self is counting on you.

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Disclaimer

The information in this video is intended for informational and educational purposes only and in no way should be taken to be the provision or practice of physical therapy, medical, or professional healthcare advice or services. The information should not be considered complete or exhaustive and should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes without first consulting with your physical therapist, occupational therapist, physician or other healthcare provider. The owners of this website accept no responsibility for the misuse of information contained within this website.