Why The Nervous System Affects Pain
Pain isn’t only about joints, discs, or muscles, it’s about how safe your nervous system feels.
When your body perceives stress, injury, or threat, your nervous system increases muscle tone to protect you. That protective tension can limit movement, stiffen joints, and make even simple motions feel uncomfortable.
This is why:
- You can feel stiff without a clear injury
- Stretching helps briefly, but stiffness returns
- Pain often worsens during stressful or fatigued periods
Breathing is one of the most effective ways to down-regulate the nervous system and reduce unnecessary tension, creating space for movement to improve.
Breathing Positions That Reduce Tension
Not all breathing drills are the same. The position you’re in matters, because it changes how your ribs, spine and nervous system respond.
Below are three of our go-to positions that help reduce guarding and restore motion:
Hook-Lying Breathing: Click here to watch!
Hook-lying (on your back with knees bent) is a great starting point because it allows your body to fully relax while improving control of the rib cage and abdominal muscles.
Why it helps
- Improves coordination between breathing and core muscles
- Reduces excessive neck and upper chest tension
- Improves overall joint motion by lowering resting muscle tone
How to use it
- 1-2 times daily or as needed for pain and stiffness
- 5 breathes per set
- Slow nasal inhale (5+ seconds), slow exhale (5+ seconds)
Key emphasis
- Maintain gentle rib cage “closure” as you inhale
- Think: “Keep the doors closed as the air comes in”
- Support your head and neck with pillows if needed to reduce neck tension
Side-Lying Breathing: Click here to watch!
Side-lying breathing introduces a subtle compression that helps direct air into areas that often feel stiff or restricted.
Why it helps
- Improves abdominal and rib cage control
- Biases airflow into the posterior rib cage
- Often feels easier for people with back or hip pain
How to use it
- 1-2 times daily or as needed
- 5 breathes per set
- Slow nasal inhale and extended exhale
Key emphasis
- Use a towel or ab mat under the lower ribs for gentle compression
- Fully support your head and neck so you can relax
Crime Scene Breathing: Click here to watch!
Despite the name, this position is one of the most effective ways to encourage breathing into the lower back and back of the rib cage.
Why it helps
- Improves motion in the lumbar spine
- Encourages expansion into stiff or guarded areas
- Helps reduce protective tone around the low back
How to use it
- 1-2 times daily or as needed
- 5-10 breaths per set
- Long, slow exhales paired with nasal inhales
Key emphasis
- Let your body sink heavier into the ground
- Focus on sending the breath into your lower back
How Breathing Improves Mobility
Breathing drills don’t “stretch” muscles in the traditional sense. Instead, they help reduce unnecessary tension, allowing joints and tissues to move more freely.
Think breathing as turning down the volume on your nervous system. Once that volume comes down:
- Muscles stop over-guarding
- Joints move with less resistance
- Strength and mobility work becomes more effective
This is why breathing drills work best before movement and exercise, not as a standalone solution.
When Breathing Isn’t Enough
If breathing drills help temporarily but stiffness or pain keeps returning, that’s usually a sign something else needs to be addressed. This could be strength, movement capacity, or load tolerance.
Breathing opens the door.
Movement and strength help you walk through it.
If you’re unsure how to progress beyond drills, or your symptoms keep coming back, schedule a FREE discovery visit here!
We’ll help you figure out what your body actually needs, not just what feels good in the moment.
Dr. Cameron Whitehead
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