Breathing Exercises to Decompress Your Rib Cage and Relief Back Pain

Many people overlook how important proper breathing is for relieving back pain and decompressing the spine. In this video, you'll learn three powerful breathing exercises that can significantly expand your rib cage, activate your diaphragm, and relieve tension in your back muscles.

Watch the video below to follow along with the exercises:

Why Expanding Your Rib Cage Matters

Proper diaphragmatic breathing involves expanding your rib cage in all directions—front, back, and sides. This expansion allows your diaphragm, the main breathing muscle, to function optimally. It also helps:

Decompress your spine by pulling it longer with every inhale.
Open up tight muscles between your ribs, reducing pain and tension.
Calm your nervous system, helping to relax tense muscles along your spine.

If you frequently sit slouched or overly arched, these muscles become compressed, creating pain and stiffness. The exercises below target exactly those areas.

Exercise 1: Full Exhalation and Rib Expansion

Setup:

Lie on your back with knees bent.
Slightly tuck your pelvis (posterior tilt), pressing your lower back gently against the floor.
Place your arms beside you in a W-shaped position.

How to Perform:

Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your rib cage fully.
Exhale slowly through pursed lips while extending your arms upward, pushing all the air out until your ribs lower down completely.
At the end of your exhale, hold your breath for 3 seconds.
Inhale again deeply through your nose, expanding even further.
Repeat for 5-7 breaths.

You'll quickly notice your breathing becoming deeper and your rib cage expanding more fully.

Exercise 2: Cat Pose for Mid-Back Expansion

This exercise targets the mid and upper back, helping you decompress this area effectively.

Part A – Hands and Knees:

Get onto your hands and knees (tabletop position).
Round your spine fully, tuck your chin to your chest, and press your hands into the floor.
Breathe deeply into your rounded back, trying to expand your spine with every inhale.
Maintain the rounded position as you exhale.
Perform 5 deep breaths in this position.

Part B – Elbows on Floor:

Lower yourself onto your elbows, moving your hips slightly backward.
Continue rounding your spine and tucking your chin.
Breathe deeply into your mid-back area, focusing on opening the space between your shoulder blades.
Complete another 5 deep breaths here.

If you feel slightly dizzy, pause and take a short rest before continuing. This dizziness can occur because you're supplying your body with more oxygen than usual.

Exercise 3: Three-Dimensional Rib Cage Expansion

This standing exercise helps you engage your core muscles while fully expanding your rib cage in all directions.

Setup:

Stand upright, knees slightly bent.
Place your hands on the sides of your rib cage (just above your waist).

How to Perform:

Inhale deeply through your nose, consciously expanding your rib cage outward against your hands. Feel your rib cage expanding sideways, front-to-back, and top-to-bottom.
Exhale fully through your mouth, gently pulling your belly button in while maintaining the expanded rib cage position. Feel your side abdominal muscles activating.
Repeat for 5-7 breaths.

You can also shift your hands to the front and back of your rib cage to further direct your breathing:

When inhaling, try to push your front hand forward and your back hand slightly backward.
Maintain expansion while exhaling, feeling a gentle activation in your deep abdominal muscles.

How Often Should You Perform These Exercises?

Incorporate these exercises into your regular fitness routine, ideally performing them daily or at least several times per week. You can easily add them at the beginning of your workout to set a strong foundation for better breathing and posture.

Consistent practice will help you:

Reduce chronic back tension and pain.
Improve posture and core stability.
Promote relaxation, reducing overall stress in your body.

Start small, listen to your body, and gradually increase the depth and frequency of your breathing. Over time, you'll notice significant improvement in your spinal health and overall well-being.

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