---
title: Breathing Exercise Improves ADLs, Core Stability, and Pain
description: Breathing Exercise Improves ADLs, Core Stability, and Pain
image: https://blog.acplus.com/hubfs/MAR2023%20TOTM-00042%20SM%20graphic.png
---

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# The Pulse

# Breathing Exercise Improves ADLs, Core Stability, and Pain

Posted by [ACP - Accelerated Care Plus](https://blog.acplus.com/author/acp-accelerated-care-plus) on Mar 14, 2023 6:45:00 PM

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Breathing impacts everything we do from bed mobility, transfers and gait to ADLs and IADLs. Incorporating patient-specific breathing strategies into a comprehensive rehab program not only addresses breathing impairment due to cardiopulmonary compromise, but also positively impacts pain, balance, function, and ADL performance.

- A comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program can improve function and ADL performance in patients with COPD  
  (Vaes et al., J Appl Physiol, 2019).
- An 8-week home-based inspiratory muscle training program performed 2x/day showed greater improvements in dynamic balance (measured by the min-BEST) than the control group. (Ferraro et al., 2019)
- Slow deep breathing with extended exhalation stimulates the vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system and lowers HR, RR, and BP. These attentive breathing techniques have also been shown to reduce pain. (Gerrisen  
  & Band, 2018)

What We Know About Breathing (ACP, 2022)

| ![TOTM-00042 capture 1](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TOTM-00042%20capture%201.jpg?width=348&height=317&name=TOTM-00042%20capture%201.jpg)   | ![core stability](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/core%20stability.jpg?width=151&height=220&name=core%20stability.jpg)   | ![pain management](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/pain%20management.jpg?width=344&height=312&name=pain%20management.jpg)   |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Preparing for ADL Training** Breathing exercise decreases dyspnea, which can improve activity tolerance and task performance | **Core Stability** Breathing exercise for core stability can improve posture, balance, and pelvic floor function | **Pain Management** Slow deep breathing decreases HR/BP/RR and facilitates relaxation, which can decrease stress, anxiety, and pain |

OmniFlow® Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System incorporates inspiratory and expiratory breathing exercise to improve respiratory muscle performance and patient functional outcomes.

| ![TOTM-00039 diamond mine](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TOTM-00039%20diamond%20mine.jpg?width=614&height=346&name=TOTM-00039%20diamond%20mine.jpg) Deep inhalation (Diamond Mine) - Preparing for ADL Training - Core Stability - Pain Management | ![prehistoric contest](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/prehistoric%20contest.jpg?width=430&height=242&name=prehistoric%20contest.jpg) Forced expiration (Prehistoric Contest) - Preparing for ADL Training - Core Stability  | ![sail away](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sail%20away.jpg?width=430&height=242&name=sail%20away.jpg) Controlled expiration (Sail Away) - Preparing for ADL Training - Pain Management - Core Stability |
| --- | --- | --- |

| ![starry road](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/starry%20road.jpg?width=429&height=242&name=starry%20road.jpg) Rhythmical breathing (Starry Road) - Preparing for ADL Training - Pain Management | ![the dandelion](https://blog.acplus.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the%20dandelion.jpg?width=429&height=242&name=the%20dandelion.jpg) ACBT/Huffing technique (The Danelion) - Preparing for ADL Training |
| --- | --- |

 

References:  
ACP. (2022). Did You Know About Breathing? [TRN-0022 ](https://followups.gomodus.com/2eb0e0e8-bdf1-11ed-925d-0a00b3cb7d4b/868488?groupId=7173)  
Ferraro, F. V., Gavin, J. P., Wainwright, T., & McConnell, A. (2019). The effects of 8 weeks of inspiratory muscle training on the balance of healthy older adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Physiological Reports, 7(9), e14076.  
[https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14076](https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14076)   
Gerritsen, R. J. S., & Band, G. P. H. (2018). Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 12, 397. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00397](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00397)   
Vaes, A. W., Delbressine, J. M. L., Mesquita, R., Goertz, Y. M. J., Janssen, D. J. A., Nakken, N., Franssen, F. M. E., Vanfleteren, L. E. G. W., Wouters, E. F. M., & Spruit, M. A. (2019). Impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on activities of daily living in patients with  
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 126(3), 607–615. [https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00790.2018](https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00790.2018) 

 Topics: [Clinical Tip](https://blog.acplus.com/tag/clinical-tip), [Cardiopulmonary](https://blog.acplus.com/tag/cardiopulmonary)

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