How We Breathe
As humans, we are born stomach breathers, which causes the stomach to protrude with each breath. As we age, we are told to stand up straight and to hold in our stomachs. This is done with the belief that it will help improve posture. Good posture is necessary, however, holding the stomach in makes stomach breathing impossible.
As a result, we begin to chest breathe. Chest breathing involves only the upper 1/3 of the lungs. However, over three times, many blood vessels and capillaries are available for carbon dioxide and oxygen exchange in the lower 2/3 of the lungs.
A long time ago we were nomad hunter-gathers, then farmers. Therefore, our bodies were designed and developed for long periods of walking and physical demands which resulted in deeper breathing. Today we have become more sedentary. We can now move much further and faster with less physical effort.
Improper breathing limits the oxygen in the blood. The pelvic diaphragm is called the secondary muscles of breathing. These muscles in the pelvic diaphragm aid in the lung emptying process. When these muscles are contracted the lungs are emptied as entirely as possible of the carbon dioxide-saturated air and allow a more complete diaphragm breath, fully loaded with oxygen, to be inhaled.
Human anatomy and physiology were designed for walking. Full stride walking causes the hips and shoulders to rotate in simultaneous counter-rotation figure 8 motions that balance each other out while keeping the head and spine centered under gravity. Walking is what causes the 3-dimensional spine to function quadrilaterally.
The physical actions or figure 8 motions of the upright body produced by walking are responsible for many physiological actions. These actions cause the body to perform necessary functions completely, correctly and pain-free including breathing, digestion, as well as hormonal balancing.
When we injure our physical body in one or multiple accidents we unequally tear ligaments that normally hold the spinal joints together and in proper alignment. This unequal support system causes unequal form and function of the spinal system, nervous system, and nutrition delivery system, with chronic pain. Aberrant spinal form causes the aberrant function of the spine, the nervous system, and the nerves that exit through it.
The task then is to cause the brain and neuro-muscular system to reflexly correct spinal form first. This is done by (healing) rehabbing injured ligaments and causing them to align with the ultimate loads they are designed to limit and control. The patient’s body will do this naturally when properly stimulated by the figure 8 motion, therefore correcting the cause of an abnormal form of the spine. The nervous system, digestive system, and blood vascular system can function as intended and pain-free. Some research claims that all chronic diseases and dysfunction at the cellular level including asthma, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer, to name a few are triggered by inflammatory proteins delivered by the blood. Therefore, we have a physical and metabolic cause of chronic pain and dysfunction.
To combat today’s sedentary lifestyle, we need to perform necessary procedures that mimic the physical actions of walking with daily multiple uses of the Therapeutic Wobble Chair.
Some of the functions the wobble chair produces with its figure 8 motion are:
- Prepares the spine for further rehabilitation and strengthening. Spinal “core stability” exercises are necessary before strength, endurance, and agility training can be effective.
- Rehydrates the disc. Allows the user to produce full range “figure 8” hip motion that mimics full stride walking, thereby it loading and unloading the lumbar spine. This motion pumps, fluids into spinal disks and ligaments that hydrates and re-hydrate each disk’s nucleus and pumps out their tissue cell wastes.
- It increases CSF pressure and flow. The brain’s two hemispheres produce 500-800 ml of cerebra-spinal-fluids (CSF) in various amounts throughout the day. The fluid is rich in oxygen and glucose; the nutrients the nervous system uses as fuel to function. The increase of CSF pressure and flow is also produced by 12 to 15 minutes of wobble-chair exercising. The increased pressure produces a feeling of mental clarity and physical well-being runners that run far enough to cause the same feelings to call the feeling, “The Runners High.”
- Helps o2 exchange. The figure 8 action of walking mimics the forces of full range deep diaphragmatic inhalation and exhalation that completely aerates and oxygenates the lungs. Full exhalation expels carbon dioxide and about 20% of the body’s tissue cell waste thereby regulating the odor of one’s breath.
- Clears the lungs. The same figure 8 motions and full diaphragmatic breathing during inhalation and exhalation clears the lungs of accumulated mucus and phlegm. If not excreted leads to lung conditions of bronchitis, sore throat, allergies, and phenomena, to name a few.
- Raising blood ph. Full diaphragm-stomach breathing fully oxygenates the lungs and the blood, causing the blood to rise. Blood with a ph of 7.4 is slightly alkaline and filled with inflammatory proteins, at a ph 7.75 or higher there are few or no inflammatory proteins in the blood.
- Helps with elimination. The figure 8 motion of the wobble chair causes the pelvic girdle to causes a greater peristaltic action of the large intestine that stimulates normal daily evacuation.
- Stimulates immune and lymphatic system 80% of the body’s hormonal glands and 70% of the immune systems glans including the lymphatics are housed in the intestines. The figure 8 motion of the wobble chair if performed multiple ( 5 ) times per day causes motions necessary for stimulation of hormonal, immune, and lymphatic systems normal function.
- Massages the heart. The heart is massaged during deep diaphragmatic breathing aided by the figure 8 motion of the wobble chair. The diaphragm muscle’s central tendon is attached to the lower end of the heart and gently massages it with every breath.
- Increases blood flow back to the heart. The diaphragm’s downward contraction during inhalation causes the vena cava to momentarily increase in size with an increase in venous pressure causing an acceleration of venous blood flow back to the heart.
To use the Therapeutic Wobble Chair correctly, sit on the seat while holding the armrests for stability. Initially, it is beneficial to utilize exercises that assist in the lower limbs’ blood evacuation. This can happen simply by 15-30 toe-raising exercises.
Start to slowly move the pelvis through a complete range of motion; from circular to front to back or left to right. This will help identify sore and stiff muscles. When beginning, start slow and work up to the number of repetitions set as the goal during the course of a week. It may take several days or weeks before you can accomplish a complete workout. Individuals with “hot spots” may need to work out that specific area before being able to complete the full workout.
- To perform the Therapeutic Wobble Chair exercises figure “8” motion, start with feet flat on the floor and knees shoulder-width apart.
- A slow count of 1-2-3 gently moves the pelvis and stomach forward toward one knee, inhaling as deep as possible using the diaphragm.
- Then the pelvis and stomach are pulled straight back while exhaling completely.
- The procedure is repeated toward the other knee and then again straight back.
- This completes one wobble chair exercise repetition.
- Build up to approximately 120 repetitions.
Forcing the stomach toward each knee while inhaling causes the diaphragm muscle to be pull down and flatten thereby pulling their lungs completely open. Since the central tendon of the diaphragm attaches to the heart, the complete stomach diaphragm breathing contraction pulls down and massages the heart muscle with each inhalation.
Both of our wobble chairs and portable wobble chairs are great for children who can have their feet touch the ground If they are unable to touch the ground on the full-size wobble chair we suggest placing the portable wobble chair on a shorter object.
