You feel it again—that quiet, familiar ache in your neck. After a few hours at your desk, a sense of tension has settled into your shoulders, feeling tight and heavy. You might roll your shoulders or stretch, and maybe a registered massage therapy session brings a moment of ease, but the feeling often returns. What if the source of this discomfort isn’t just in your muscles, but in something you do over 20,000 times a day without a thought?
This article explores the gentle connection between breathing and muscle tension, and why RMT Vancouver patients so often experience neck and back pain that doesn’t fully resolve without addressing how they breathe.
The “Wrong” Way to Breathe: Are You a Chest Breather?
Breathing is so natural that we rarely stop to consider how we’re doing it. But just like there are more and less supportive ways to move, there are different ways to breathe. For many people seeking RMT Vancouver services for chronic tension, an inefficient breathing pattern can become a quiet habit—one that contributes directly to neck, shoulder, and back discomfort.
Chest Breathing vs. Belly Breathing: What’s the Difference?
At the heart of this are two main ways our bodies breathe: the gentle rhythm of belly breathing and the more effortful pattern of chest breathing.
Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic):
This is the body’s natural, intended way to breathe. When you inhale, your diaphragm—a soft, dome-shaped muscle below your lungs—gently contracts. This draws air deep into your lungs and allows your belly to soften and expand. It’s calm, deep, and efficient.
Chest Breathing (Paradoxical):
This is a shallower pattern that relies on the smaller muscles of your neck, chest, and shoulders. You may notice your chest lifting while your belly stays still or pulls inward. This breathing style is meant for short bursts of effort or stress—not all day, every day.
With modern life, prolonged sitting, and stress, many people in 2026 unknowingly rely on this chest-focused pattern throughout the day, which is something we frequently see in RMT Vancouver assessments.
Quick Self-Test: How to Identify Your Breathing Pattern
Curious about how you breathe?
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Sit or lie down comfortably
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Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your belly
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Breathe naturally for about a minute
If your belly hand rises more, you’re likely using your diaphragm. If your chest hand moves more, you may be relying on chest breathing. If both move, simply notice which one leads.
The Biomechanics of Pain: How Shallow Breathing Creates Tension
If you’re more of a chest breather, it may help explain why massage therapy provides temporary relief but tension keeps returning. When smaller muscles are asked to do a big job repeatedly, they fatigue.
Accessory Breathing Muscles — And Why They Get Overworked
Your diaphragm is designed to handle most of the work of breathing. The muscles in your neck, shoulders, and upper chest—often treated during RMT Vancouver sessions—are meant to assist only when demand is high.
When chest breathing becomes your default, these muscles are working overtime. Over 20,000 breaths a day adds up quickly, leading to what many people recognize as persistent knots, tight shoulders, and neck pain.
The Vicious Cycle: Breathing, Pain, and Posture
This pattern often creates a familiar cycle:
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Muscle fatigue and trigger points in the neck and shoulders
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Headaches and neck pain linked to overworked breathing muscles
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Postural strain, including forward head and rounded shoulders
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Reduced core support, which can contribute to lower back discomfort
Stress encourages shallow breathing, shallow breathing creates tension, and tension reinforces stress. Many people seeking RMT Vancouver care are unknowingly stuck in this loop.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: A Simple Shift With Powerful Benefits
Relearning how to breathe is one of the most effective ways to support massage therapy results. The benefits extend far beyond relaxation.
How Proper Breathing Calms the Nervous System
Slow, diaphragmatic breathing signals safety to your nervous system. This helps reduce muscle guarding, calm heightened tension, and allow massage therapy to have longer-lasting effects—especially for chronic neck and back pain.
The Diaphragm’s Role in Core Support
Your diaphragm works with your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles to stabilize your spine. When it’s underused, your body compensates elsewhere—often in the neck and shoulders. Supporting diaphragm function is a key component of long-term relief for many RMT Vancouver patients.
How Registered Massage Therapy Supports Better Breathing
Understanding breathing patterns is an important part of effective registered massage therapy. An RMT doesn’t just treat sore muscles—we look at why they’re overloaded in the first place.
A Whole-Body Approach to Lasting Relief
Through a combination of hands-on treatment, postural awareness, and gentle education, an RMT can help:
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Release overworked breathing muscles
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Improve rib and chest mobility
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Encourage more efficient, relaxed breathing patterns
This whole-body approach is why RMT Vancouver care can feel both immediately relieving and deeply restorative.
A Simple Breathing Exercise to Try Today
The 90/90 Belly Breath
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Lie on your back with your feet supported on a chair
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Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly
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Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts, feeling your belly rise
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Exhale through your mouth for 6 counts, letting your belly fall
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Continue for 3–5 minutes
This is one of many breathing exercises that can complement registered massage therapy and help reduce neck tension over time.
Your breath plays a quiet but powerful role in how your body feels every day. If massage therapy helps—but the tension keeps coming back—your breathing pattern may be part of the missing piece. Understanding how breathing affects neck and back pain can help you get more from your treatments and feel more at ease in your body long term.
Feeling stuck with chronic neck or back pain?
If you’re looking for RMT Vancouver care that goes beyond surface-level relief, our registered massage therapists are here to help. Book your session at VanCity Physio today and take a gentler, more lasting approach to feeling better in your body.