top of page

Breathing Gone Wrong: How It Wrecks Your Spine & Posture

Writer's picture: Dr. Lucas MarchandDr. Lucas Marchand

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


Wooden framework of a house under construction at sunset, with sun rays in the background. The scene conveys progress and warmth.

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?


Person in yoga pose, wearing gray top and yellow pants, hands on chest and stomach. Soft light, calm mood, blurred green leaves behind.

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


Blue can with water droplets against a pastel purple background. Can is centered, giving a refreshing and clean vibe. No text visible.

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


Person in blue sweater gives chiropractic treatment to child on a table in a cozy room. Child wears sparkly shoes. Warm, peaceful setting.

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.



Man in green polo shirt with logos smiles slightly against plain gray background. Calm expression, simple setting.
Dr. Lucas Marchand - MyChiro, LLC

8 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Delivering Affordable, convenient, chiropractic care to the comfort of your home, office, or worksite

Email: lucasmarchanddc@gmail.com

Phone: (605)201-4862

MyChiro, LLC

501 S. Stephen Ave

Sioux Falls, SD 57103

Medicare Beneficiary Notice: MyChiro, LLC is a private pay chiropractic service and does not participate in the Medicare program. Due to Medicare regulations, we are unable to provide house call services to Medicare beneficiaries, nor can we bill Medicare on behalf of Medicare patients. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, please consult a Medicare-approved provider to ensure your chiropractic care is covered. For questions, feel free to contact us.

Legal Notice: MyChiro, LLC is a registered business entity with the State of South Dakota. Dr. Lucas Marchand, DC, is a licensed chiropractor in the State of South Dakota, practicing under license number 1282, as issued by the South Dakota Board of Chiropractic Examiners. MyChiro, LLC operates in compliance with all applicable state and local regulations.

MyChiro, LLC logo in dark green and gold, symbolizing mobile chiropractic care services in Sioux Falls
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
bottom of page