Breathing is foundational movement in the human body. When movement and breathing are integrated, our body is resilient. When breathing breaks down, we are inherently in a state of compensation and dysfunction and this has flow on affects to all aspects of our health.
Muscle/joint pain? Breathing
Postural issues? Breathing
Recurrent injuries? Breathing
When it comes the Left AIC movement pattern (if you are unfamiliar with this term, see here – The Left AIC of the Postural Restoration Institute), then our breathing will work to either increase our tension and exaggerate the Left AIC, or our breathing will work synergistically with our body to create strong fluid movement.
But how does it all connect to the breath?
At the heart of the Left AIC is the diaphragm. It is the foundation of asymmetry. The right diaphragm is twice the size of the left, and doesn’t have the same ability to descend and contract as the left (because is has a liver sitting right underneath it). This means the left side is both shorter (more concentrically oriented) and has a greater ability to move. As a result, you will breathe in more with your left side (as there is more space over there). You will also have a ribcage rotated to the left (also known in the Postural Restoration Institute as a Right BC)
This means that above and below the diaphragm you will have systemic changes in the length/tension of every muscle in the body, and systemic changes in the position of every joint in the body.
So if you are looking to resolve your pain, manage an injury, or you’ve discovered the concept of a Left AIC but don’t know where to begin in resolving asymmetry, then beginning with the breath is absolutely critical.
Here is the simple way to change how you breathe. It’s called LSD breathing.
- Lighten the breath – aim to breathe so gently that you can’t feel the air enter or leave your nostrils
- Slow the breath – breathe in for four counts, out for seven counts, pause for one count and repeat)
- Deepen the breath – send the breath down to the lower belly
Do this for 5 minutes and notice how you feel afterwards. Walk up and down the hallway before and after. Look at your posture in the mirror before and after. Notice how your back feels before and after.
What changed for you?
Ben McKerrell
