How and Why to Use a Breathbelt
Level 1 Modality
Breathbelt: “Every Breath Stronger”
“The BREATH BELT provides non-stop tactile breath cues where the internal distraction objects are placed. When the user actively resists the internal distraction with each breath, there is an immediate relief of the muscles restriction the prime lumbar stabilizers, the PSOAS and QL. As decompression of the lumbar spine continues, the hips reset to an improved position allow the gluteal muscles to better serve their purpose.”
Breathing devices have never been more popular since the advent of Covid 19 and there are many devices on the market and in use in hospitals and clinics.1,2 There are assistive devices for individual use that help support the innate need for breath, breathing posture, and its effects on nerves, tissue, the brain, and smooth muscle like the heart.
What it does:
· Improves psoas muscles relieving neck, low back, hip, knee and ankle pain
· Regulates stress
· Aligns hips, releases tight hip flexors, decompressing lumbar spine
· Helps recover faster from stress, workouts, or tension
· Assists parasympathetic activation
Objective:
· Breathbelt helps to train your breathing muscles just like any other muscle
· Proper breathing helps to improve vagal tone by activating the parasympathetic portion of the nervous system.
· This helps to raise HRV, which is the “heartbeat of the nervous system”. It is one of the best indicators of health and resilience we have.
How it works:
· Breathbelt trains the diaphragmatic muscles, alleviating muscles in the neck, shoulders, and psoas. It allows these muscles to function with less resistance, which is another way vagal tone improves. With functional psoas muscles leg, hip, knee, ankle, and low back pain improve, posture improves, nerves become more functional with improved posture, and breath is carried to all parts of the body.
How to Wear:
1. Align the pocket in the mid back of the belt with the middle of your back
2. Let it lay at the top of the pubic bone all the way around
3. Once it’s laid against the back, pull the left side of the band pulling to the right while exhaling and sucking belly in.
4. Pull the right side of the belt towards the left while exhaling and sucking belly in.
5. Initially do not use any compression item.
6. After trying it a time or two, put a small item in the back pocket, like a small ball or folded up cloth to add compression
7. Put small items in the side pockets, which add compression directly to the psoas.
8. Walk on the treadmill 10 min, as the breathbelt alerts your attention to proper breathing and posture.
Who should NOT use:
· Anyone with a hernia of any kind, or lower esophageal sphincter fixation.
· Pregnant woman and children
· Those with lung issues and asthma need to begin with small sessions
**Users use at their own risk.
** Users may need to start with a small session as a feeling of “hyperventilation” can make them feel faint if they’ve been upper lung breathing for a long time. Make sure to stay with a first time user.
References:
1. Breathing easier at home: Device brings telemedicine to lung patients during pandemic | NHLBI, NIH. Accessed January 9, 2022. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sbir-success-stories/breathing-easier-home-device-brings-telemedicine-lung-patients-during-pandemic
2. Franklin E, Anjum F. Incentive Spirometer and Inspiratory Muscle Training. StatPearls. Published online June 4, 2021. Accessed January 9, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572114/3
3. Hristara-Papadopoulou A, Tsanakas J, Diomou G, Papadopoulou O. Current devices of respiratory physiotherapy. Hippokratia. 2008;12(4):211. Accessed January 9, 2022. /pmc/articles/PMC2580042/
4. BreathBelt. www.breathbelt.com, 2022
5. Everybreathstronger.com
6. A customer’s HOW TO video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YsLEWM-42Q
Disclaimer: This article, technique, and assistive technology is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical, mental health or healthcare advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any illness, medical condition or mental or emotional condition. Working with us is not a guarantee of any results. ANMC Holistic Health LLC owns all copyrights to the materials presented here unless otherwise noted.