Breathing Exercises

BREATHING
EXERCISES
MADE BY:
K. TEJAS
MPT 1st year
INTRODUCTION:
 When you have healthy lungs, breathing is natural and easy.
You breathe in and out with your diaphragm doing about 80
percent of the work to fill your lungs with a mixture of
oxygen and other gases, and then to send the waste gas out.
 Over time, stale air builds up, leaving less room for the
diaphragm to contract and bring in fresh oxygen. With the
diaphragm not working to full capacity, the body starts to use
other muscles in the neck, back and chest for breathing.
PHYSIOLOGY OF BREATHING:
 When the lungs inhale, the diaphragm contracts and pulls
downward. At the same time, the muscles between the ribs
contract and pull upward.
 This increases the size of the thoracic cavity and decreases the
pressure inside. As a result, air rushes in and fills the lungs.
 The primary inspiratory muscles are diaphragm and external
intercostals. They elevate the ribs and sternum.
 The accessory inspiratory muscles are sternocleidomastoid,
scalenes muscle, pectoralis major & minor, serratus anterior.
 The accessory expiratory muscles are the abdominal muscles.
GOALS OF BREATHING TECHNIQUES:
 To improve ventilation
 To assist in removal of secretions.
 To increase chest wall compliance.
 To increase exercise tolerance.
 To enhance respiratory system, make breathing efficient.
 To strengthen respiratory muscles
 To promote relaxation & reduce stress.
 To prevent post-operative chest pulmonary
complications (hypoxemia, bronchospams etc)
INDICATIONS:
 COPD
 Cystic fibrosis
 Bronchiectasis
 Lung abscess
 Pneumonia
 After thoracic or abdominal surgeries
 Acute lung disease
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
 Unconscious, non-oriented patients.
 Irregular heartbeat
 Active BRONCHIAL hemorrhage
 Unstable head or neck injury
 Rib or vertebral fracture
 Acute asthma or TB
 Uncontrolled hypertension
BREATHING TECHNIQUES:
 Deep breathing
 Diaphragmatic breathing
 Pursed lip breathing
 Glossopharyngeal breathing
 Segmental breathing- Apical breathing, Lateral
costal expansion, Posterior basal expansion, Right
middle or lingula expansion.
DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE:
 Deep breathing helps to relieve shortness of breath by
preventing air from getting trapped in the lungs and helps
inhalation of more fresh air to the base of the lungs. It
may help the client to feel more relaxed and centered.
 Technique:
 While standing or sitting, draw your elbows back slightly
to allow your chest to expand.
 Take a deep inhalation through the nose.
 Retain your breath for a count of 5.
 Slowly release your breath by exhaling through the nose.
DIAPHRAGMATIC
BREATHING:
 It is a type of breathing exercise that helps strengthen the
diaphragm, an important muscle that helps with
breathing, as it represents 80% of breathing.
 Technique:
 Place one hand on the chest and the other on your
stomach. Take a slow deep breath, paying attention to
which hand moves.
 Slowing breathing - Inhale to fully inflate the lungs, then
slowly exhale. Breathing out through the nose can help
control exhalation rate. Pause briefly after exhaling then
inhale again.
PURSED LIP BREATHING:
 It is a breathing technique that consists of exhaling through tightly pressed
(pursed) lips and inhaling through the nose with the mouth closed.
 This technique keeps airways open longer so that you can remove the air
trapped in your lungs by slowing down the breathing rate and relieving
shortness of breathing.
 This technique has been found to benefit people who have anxiety-
associated lung conditions eg emphysema and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
 TECHNIQUE- Inhale quietly through your nose for the count of four. Fill
lungs completely to the point where you feel your abdomen is filled full of
air like a balloon.
 Hold your breath for four counts.
 Through pursed lips, slowly exhale through your mouth making a whoosh
sound for eight counts.
SEGMENTAL BREATHING:
 It is localized respiration consciously directed to
one segment of the chest while other other
segments remain relaxed.
 Apical expansion- Patient in sitting position applies
pressure below the clavicle with their finger tips.
 Patient breathes against the pressure of the fingers.
 Posterior basal expansion- Patient in sitting and
slightly leaning position. Pressure is given
unilaterally over the posterior aspect of lower ribs
using patients own fingers while breathing against
the pressure.
 Lateral costal expansion- Patient in lying/sitting
position. Place therapists hand along the lateral
aspect of lower ribs. Patient is asked to inspire
while maintaining the resistance.
 Right middle or Lingula expansion- Patient in
sitting position. The hands are placed at either right
or left side of the patients chest below the axilla.
Following the same rest process.
GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL BREATHING:
 It is used when the respiratory muscles are

extremely weak involving the voice box in
respiration.
 Patient in sitting, asked to take bigger deeper, gulps
of air into your lungs , then closing the mouth the
air is pushed into the lungs with help of pharynx
until your chest is as full of air as possible.
 This increases the depth of inspiration & it’s
capacity.
GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL
BREATHING
BOX BREATHING:
 It is known as 4 4 breathing exercise.
 Technique- Patient in in sitting relaxed position
asked to breathe in counting to four slowly by
feeling the air into the lungs.
 Hold the breath for 4 sec, slowly exhale through
the mouth for 4 secs.
 It helps in slowing down, relaxing and calming the
body
BOX BREATHING
THANK
YOU

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BREATHING

 It is used when the respiratory muscles are

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