2.1.24 Dr. Lucas Marchand - Chiropractor
If your breathing is off, your spine is too. Here’s why dysfunctional breathing leads to instability—and what you can do to fix it.
Introduction: The House with a Weak Foundation

Imagine building a house on shifting sand. No matter how well-constructed the walls are, no matter how sturdy the roof, if the foundation is weak, the entire structure is compromised. That’s what happens when your breathing goes wrong.
Most people don’t think about how they breathe. It happens automatically, somewhere between 17,000 and 23,000 times a day. But what if, over the years, you unknowingly developed a habit of breathing inefficiently? What if each breath subtly weakened the scaffolding that holds you together—your spine?
This isn’t a hypothetical. It’s reality for countless people. Dysfunctional breathing is common, and it quietly erodes posture, movement, and stability. But there’s a way to fix it. Let’s start by understanding where things go wrong.
What Is Dysfunctional Breathing?

Breathing Is More Than Just Oxygen
We breathe for oxygen, yes. But breathing also plays a structural role. Your diaphragm—the dome-shaped muscle under your lungs—isn’t just there to inflate and deflate your ribcage. It’s the main pressure regulator for your core. When it works correctly, it creates intra-abdominal pressure, reinforcing your spine like a well-placed load-bearing wall. When it doesn’t? Things start to collapse.
Signs You’re Breathing All Wrong
Chest breathing. If your shoulders rise when you inhale, you’re missing out on the diaphragm’s full power.
Neck and shoulder tension. Tight traps? A stiff neck? Your accessory breathing muscles are overcompensating.
Frequent sighing or breath-holding. Both are signs your system isn’t regulating pressure well.
Poor posture. Slumping forward limits how well the diaphragm can do its job.
The Breathing-Spine Connection

The Core Isn’t Just Abs—It’s a Pressure System
Think of your core like a soda can. When it’s sealed, it can withstand tremendous force. But poke a hole in it, and the structure buckles. Dysfunctional breathing is like that hole—it compromises stability. Instead of a strong, pressurized system, your spine and core become vulnerable to collapse.
What Happens When the Diaphragm Fails?
Your diaphragm is part of a team. It works with the transverse abdominis (your deepest abdominal muscle), the multifidus (a spinal stabilizer), and the pelvic floor. Together, they create a pressure system that keeps the spine aligned and supported.
When breathing becomes dysfunctional, the diaphragm doesn’t contract properly. The deep core muscles weaken. The body compensates by recruiting the wrong muscles—your lower back tenses, your neck takes on extra strain, and your spine becomes less stable. Over time, this leads to chronic pain and misalignment.
How Chiropractic Can Help Reset Breathing & Stability

Adjustments: Restoring the Frame
A weak foundation needs reinforcement. Chiropractic adjustments realign the spine and ribcage, improving the mechanical efficiency of breathing. If the thoracic spine is stuck, the ribs don’t move properly, making it harder for the diaphragm to do its job. Correcting these restrictions allows for more natural, effective breathing.
Retraining the Nervous System
Dysfunctional breathing isn’t just mechanical—it’s neurological. Chronic stress locks people in a fight-or-flight state, reinforcing shallow, rapid breathing. Chiropractic care helps reset the nervous system, shifting the body from stress-mode to a calmer, more balanced state. And when the nervous system relaxes, the diaphragm functions better.
Fixing Dysfunctional Breathing: Exercises & Drills
Step 1: Learn to Use Your Diaphragm
Crocodile Breathing Drill:
Lie on your stomach, forehead resting on your hands.
Breathe in deeply, focusing on expanding your belly into the floor.
Exhale fully and repeat for 2 minutes.
Why it works: This position takes the chest and neck out of the equation, forcing the diaphragm to engage.
Step 2: Reset Core Pressure
90/90 Breathing with Wall Support:
Lie on your back, knees bent at 90 degrees with feet on a wall.
Place one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
Breathe in through your nose, filling your belly while keeping your chest still.
Exhale fully, engaging your core.
Why it works: It retrains proper core activation and stabilizes the spine.
Step 3: Strengthen the System
Bracing with Breathing:
Place your hands on your ribs.
Inhale deeply, feeling your ribs expand outward.
Exhale and engage your core, as if bracing for a light punch.
Exercises like the Dead Bug and Pallof Press reinforce this breathing technique, creating strength and stability.
Conclusion: Breathe Better, Move Better, Feel Better
Breathing isn’t just about survival—it’s about stability. When you fix dysfunctional breathing, you don’t just take in more oxygen. You reinforce your spine, improve your posture, and move with better control. Chiropractic care can help reset your foundation, and simple breathing drills can reinforce it. The result? Less pain, better movement, and a body that works as it should.
You breathe 20,000 times a day. Make it count.

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