The diaphragm is probably a muscle which you aren`t even aware of, well apart from when you get hiccups of course, which is your diaphragm going into spasm. It is our main muscle of respiration and has an impact on all our major physiological systems including posture, circulation, digestion, emotion regulation and immunity. As we take around 23,000 breaths a day, it is having a major influence on all these bodily systems.
The diaphragm is a thin umbrella shaped muscle which separates the chest and abdominal cavities. The word diaphragm is derived from the Greek word “diaphragma” meaning partition.
As you inhale, the diaphragm opens like an umbrella, expanding the ribs to make room for the lungs to expand to take in oxygen. You then exhale, as the diaphragm relaxes and lowers like a closing umbrella, as you breathe out carbon dioxide.
The diaphragm has 3 openings for the following:
The oesophagus which connects the throat to the stomach
The vena cava, which carries blood from the lower body to the heart
The aorta, carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body
It is also a secondary pump for blood and lymph and the vagus nerve runs through the diaphragm, so it is a very important structure of the body and is worthy of our attention.
This structure has the potential to influence, both positively & negatively, our internal organs and also our lower back & ribs due to its attachments in our body. The bony attachments are connected to our lower six ribs, the tip of the sternum and along the front of the lumbar spine as far down as L4 and the lowest thoracic vertebrae T11 & T12.
Then there is the fascial and soft tissue attachments which influence much further into the body including the psoas, quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis which connect the diaphragm to the core muscles. It even influences the pelvic floor muscles.
How we can help
There are a number of ways to improve the function of the diaphragm through breath work and massage techniques to ease restrictions in the ribs and diaphragm for greater ease of movement and more functional breathing.
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