PHYS THER
Vol. 88, No. 8, August 2008, p. 972
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.2008.88.8.972
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Letters and Responses

On "Breathing: a sign of life..." Ekerholt and Bergland. Phys Ther. 2008;88:832–840.


Thank you for your clearly written report sharing the processes of Norwegian psychomotor physical therapy (NPMP).1 The experience of breathing is such an ancient science, and yet, it still retains an element of novelty in both evaluation and treatment here in the United States on a clinical basis.

Given that an average resting rate of 15 breaths per minute amounts to 17,000 movements a day, it would seem to warrant more attention. Your articulation of how the breath mirrors the emotions generated by thoughts constructs a language bridge that helps therapists to assist their patients in discovering the etiology of the tight psoas, clenched hamstring, and other muscles that never seem to return to "normal" with a mechanical stretch. The language also creates a framework as science reveals the distributed complexity of movement and pain throughout the body, not just "in the brain."

Consciousness is said to be our next frontier. As you have stated, the embodied (physical) experience is the doorway into that study. As physical therapists, through our scope of practice using movement, proprioception, and breath, we are well positioned to lead such an exploration. Thank you for sharing your experience; we will all breathe easier with this new perspective.

Matthew J Taylor

MJ Taylor, PT, Dynamic Systems Rehabilitation.


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Footnotes
 
This letter was posted as a Rapid Response on July 7, 2008, at www.ptjournal.org.

Reference

  1. Ekerholt K, Bergland A. Breathing: a sign of life and a unique area for reflexion and action. Phys Ther. 2008;88:832–840.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
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Right arrow Articles by Taylor, M. J
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PubMed
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Right arrow Articles by Taylor, M. J
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Right arrow Cardiovascular/Pulmonary System: Other
Right arrow Psychosocial: Other
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