From the Healing Bridge Physical Therapy
Spring 2004 Newsletter

by Brent Bradley, MPT

Do you suffer from chronic headaches, neck and shoulder pain, or an injury that just doesn’t seem to heal? Biofeedback training may be effective for you. Biofeedback is a safe, effective, and non-invasive procedure that allows a patient to view specific objective information about their body on a computer screen. In other words, it’s like a window into your own body.

While monitoring breathing, muscle tension, and hand temperature, the therapist guides you through relaxation and postural exercises. The computer screen then gives you visual and auditory “feedback.” Using computer generated graphics; the patient can focus on improving breathing techniques, decreasing muscle tension and increasing hand temperature.

Clinical research shows that all patients suffering from chronic pain exhibit a heightened sympathetic nervous system. Their bodies are in a constant “fight or flight” pattern that significantly decreases tissue healing. Breathing patterns may also consistently recruit neck muscles for normal breathing which contributes to this sympathetic nervous system arousal. It can also contribute to additional pain in the upper back and neck region. Stressful computer and office jobs that require hours of sitting may contribute to and exaggerate these poor posture and breathing habits. Through repetitive trials and home practice, you can learn to recognize poor patterns that are contributing to pain.

Biofeedback can also be used to help you identify and strengthen the muscles that support the bladder. When these muscles become weak or overstretched they are unable to support the pressure of the bladder, causing urine leakage. These muscles are like all other muscles: they get stronger with exercise.
Biofeedback facilitates your ability to change patterns empowering rapid results with self-corrections. If you feel that stress, poor posture, or chronic muscle tension is significantly impacting your life, come give Biofeedback a try!

From the Healing Bridge Physical Therapy
Winter 2005 Newsletter

by Brent Bradley, MPT

Breath, the most essential component of life, affects our physiology as well as our psychological state. When we breathe rapidly, shallowly, and in our chests, our heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension increases, and our hands get cool. In a sense, poor breathing habits trick our brain into thinking we are in an emergency situation causing a fight-or-flight response. In contrast, slow diaphragmatic breathing allows our body to transform into a “rest” phase. It results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate, warm hands, decreased muscle holding, and a general sense of relaxation.

In a quiet, relaxing atmosphere you can re-learn proper breathing techniques and change the negative effects of stress. This process can be a very empowering experience.

Biofeedback uses a computer to create greater awareness of breath patterns and posture, providing visual feedback to expose poor breathing habits. Receiving instruction in proper diaphragmatic breathing, you can re-train yourself by monitoring changes in your muscle tension, blood pressure, and hand temperature. This “biofeedback” makes it much easier to understand the techniques in the clinic and apply them to everyday situations.

The following is a home practice exercise developed by Dr. Erik Peper at San Francisco State University:

Lie down on your back and place a book near your bellybutton. As you inhale, allow your stomach to push against the book and slowly rise. As you exhale, allow the pressure of the book to push your stomach gently down. Be sure to let air flow evenly and slowly as you watch the book rising and sinking. As you continue to breathe, the goal is to slow down your breathing rate while maintaining the belly-breathing technique. This “belly breathing” will facilitate a rest phase, relaxing you, reducing pain, and lowering your blood pressure.

Enjoy your healthy breathing and lifestyle into the New Year!

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