At our Oakville Physiotherapy and Wellness Clinic the importance of breathing and proper breathing is often touched upon in our Physiotherapy treatment, Massage Therapy treatment, but most often during a Yoga Therapy session.

One of the 5 principles of Yoga is breathing exercise (Pranayama). Yoga breathing is an exercise that helps to promote proper breathing. Proper breathing helps ensure adequate oxygen supply that helps revitalize the mind and the body. The thought is that is helps to supply our vital organs with with oxygen and helps to remove waste / toxins from the body. Our bodies require oxygen for energy (ATP) production.

Proper breathing is also the basis of core stability, with our main muscle of breathing (our Diaphragm) working in conjunction with the core and pelvic floor musculature. Proper breathing is assisted through ideal bodily alignment. We tend to adopt a body alignment with desk work and seated positions that curve us forward and prevent a full descent of the diaphragm.

Yoga Breathing assists with a multitude of physical issues, mental health, and chronic pain. It can be coupled with meditation that helps downgrade the nervous system. This helps transition the body from a potentially higher level sympathetic or “fight or flight” function to the parasympathetic or “rest and digest” function. Proper breathing should be incorporated into everyone’s daily lives.

Yoga Therapy helps to align a persons goals with their practice. It allows a person to have feedback and guidance in obtaining their best alignment to ensure breathing as well as techniques that will work for each unique individual. Therapeutic Yoga is appropriate for those of all ages and abilities and is geared towards the individual and their goals.