Are You Breathing Wrong? How Poor Breathing Affects Pain & Posture

May 1

Breathing is something we do thousands of times a day without even thinking. But what if the way you breathe is actually contributing to your pain, posture problems, and even stress levels?

At Body Zest, we often find that breathing patterns are overlooked when it comes to treating musculoskeletal issues. Yet breathing well is fundamental to how the whole body functions. It affects how you move, how you hold yourself, and even how you heal.

Let’s dive into why breathing matters more than you might think — and what you can do to improve it.

How Poor Breathing Patterns Develop

In an ideal world, we’d all breathe slowly and deeply using our diaphragm (the large muscle under the lungs). But modern life has a way of interfering:

Stress encourages shallow, chest-based breathing
Sitting hunched over screens compresses the diaphragm
Pain or past injuries can change the way we hold tension in our bodies

Over time, shallow or inefficient breathing patterns can become the “new normal,” without us even realising.

The Link Between Breathing, Pain, and Posture

Breathing and posture are closely connected. If your breathing is shallow and chest-focused, your upper body often becomes stiff and overactive. This can lead to:

Tightness in the neck and shoulders
Reduced core stability
Lower back discomfort
Forward head posture
Poor rib and spinal mobility

It becomes a vicious cycle: poor posture affects breathing, and poor breathing reinforces poor posture.

Breathing also plays a role in the nervous system. Shallow breathing can keep your body in a low-level "fight or flight" mode, making pain feel more intense and recovery slower.

How Manual Therapy Can Help

Osteopathy and sports therapy can both support better breathing by:

Releasing tension in the ribcage, spine, and diaphragm area
Improving rib and spinal mobility
Helping the body find more efficient breathing patterns

When the ribcage and upper back move more freely, breathing becomes deeper and more natural. This supports better posture, less tension, and a calmer nervous system.

Simple Breathing Techniques to Try

If you’d like to start improving your breathing, here are a few techniques you can try today:

1. Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing

Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly
Breathe in slowly through your nose
Focus on expanding your belly rather than lifting your chest
Exhale slowly and fully

Practice for 2–5 minutes a day, especially during stressful moments.

2. 4-7-8 Breathing for Relaxation

Inhale through the nose for a count of 4
Hold the breath gently for a count of 7
Exhale slowly through the mouth for a count of 8
Repeat for 4 cycles

This can help shift the body out of "fight or flight" mode.

3. Rib Cage Expansion Breathing

Sit or lie down comfortably
Place your hands on the sides of your ribs
As you inhale, feel your ribs expand outward
As you exhale, feel them gently come back in

This helps promote better rib mobility and full, deep breaths.

Final Thoughts

Breathing well is about more than just oxygen. It’s about how you move, how you feel, and how your body supports itself.

If you’ve been dealing with chronic tension, poor posture, or persistent pain, addressing your breathing could be the missing piece.

Sometimes the simplest changes make the biggest difference. And breathing — something we do without even thinking — might just be the most powerful tool you have to support your body from the inside out.

Luke Watson