Deep Breathing and Relaxation Strategies

Our clinic provides a particularly high level of physiotherapy expertise and as such, many of the patients attending our clinic have complex issues and have often seen multiple practitioners. We understand the effects that pain can have on your ability to continue to work, play sport and generally participate in life in the way you are meant to!

At Spine and Pelvis Physiotherapy we have a holistic, biopyschosocial approach to your rehabilitation that integrates both how you feel and how you think. Often certain breathing techniques, progressive relaxation techniques, pain education and other coping strategies are the key to overcome the stress and frequently overwhelming feeling of anxiousness that can be a normal part of the complex pain picture.

Deep breathing techniques can allow you to stop and re-set a system that is often in overdrive. This allows your central nervous system to quieten, rather than ramping up and feeding into the aggressive pain cycle. A conscious breathing technique can calm down the stress response and encourages relaxation in the body.

Progressive Relaxation was firstly developed by Dr Edmund Jacobson in the 1930's and is a muscle relaxation technique that can be very effective in managing your own muscle tension. Progressive relaxation is based on the fact that complete physical relaxation is the absence of tension. We often become so accustomed to physical tension in our bodies that we barely acknowledge that it is there. With practice this is a powerful technique and self -management strategy to complement your rehabilitation programme.