The use of Pranayama or Yoga Breathing during OT

treatment

Pranayama

• Sanscript translation of :

Prana- means breath and Yama-the practice of or control of..

• In Yoga the essence of it’s practice is BREATH

• Yoga is the dance of every cell with the music of every breath that creates inner serenity and harmony-Debasish Mridha Yogatimes.com

• Breath has the “power to soothe, revitalize a tired body or a wild mind”-Claudia Cummins in Prescriptions for Pranayama.

JUST BREATHE

• Oh if it was just as simple as that

• Watch out for abnormal breath patterns within you and your clients or family members

• Always use cues points of the nose and mouth

• Be aware of how you are inhaling and exhaling and holding.

• Breath work oxygenates the blood to improve nerve function and strengthen the CNS and calms and relaxes nerves which will enhance all therapeutic interactions.

3-Part Breath or Belly Breathing

• Purpose: very relaxing, breath awareness

• How to cue it: Breathe in through your nose filling your belly and chest with air- as your lungs fill up with air let your hands travel up your chest. Once they are completely full let everything go slowly from your nose.

Whisper (Ujjayyi) Breath

• Purpose: focus, attention, oxygenate the blood, retain heat within the body, control the volume and flow of air and making an audible sound that allows self monitoring the quality and length of the breath.

• How to cue it: Using a loud whisper say the word “HAAAH” as though you were trying to blow out a candle. Now close your mouth and send that air through your nose- Relax your chest and head and the make sure it stays quiet- like the sound of wave against the shore.

Expanding Breath

• Purpose: Spinal Extension and opening up the chest. Preparation for action sequences

• How to cue it: Breathe in (optional through nose or mouth) roll lift your head and roll your shoulders down so you have a long neck.

Sinking Breath

• Purpose: Flexion- elongation of muscles and letting go, folding, releasing tension

• How to cue it: Breathe in (optional) and Exhale slowly folding forward and curling your back to make a “C” shape.

• Works well with:

Expanding Breath to rock your pelvis into anterior and posterior pelvic tilts in preparation for transfers or in all fours like CAT/COW pose.

Alternate Nose Breath

Purpose: calming and balancing effect of the mind. Helps with transitions between activities, hygiene for blowing nose, increase awareness of breath through your nose, facilitates communication between the right and left hemisphere through the corpus callosum.

How to cue it: Breathe in through only one side of your nose blocking the air with your finger and then blowing the air out the other side. Repeat at least three times and end with one more breath through both nostrils and exhaling with ease.

Alternate Nose Breath

Breath of Fire

• Purpose: to Stimulate the nervous system and cleanses the respiratory system of toxins, generates heat within the body, increased production of epinephrine and nonepenephrine and therefore is not recommended for clients with heart conditions or blood pressure issues. Can cause dizziness.

• How to cue it: Breathe in and out quickly and focus on blowing air out of your nose as fast as you can for 10-20 seconds followed by a deep breath in and exhale. Do up to three sets.

Lions Breath

• Decreases tightness and discomfort around the jaw and stretches the tongue. Rejuvenates muscles and tissues of the face from stretching and releasing.

• How to cue it: Put your hands on your knees and Inhale up proud and tall and then roar leaning forward and sticking your tongue out as far as you can.

Lions Breath

Choo-Choo Breathing

• Purpose: Invigorating and alternative to breath of fire but very stimulating and cleanses the entire respiratory system. Works on Range of motion and praxis and graded control. Great warm up activity.

• How to cue it: Straighten one arm fist down and bend the other fist up. Inhale switch, exhale switch. Speed it up or slow down to your desire.

Choo choo Breathing

Bees Breath

• Purpose: Helps shut out the world and focus inward. Great for clients who are angry. It has success in blocking out auditory noises that are upsetting like the vacuum cleaner. Beware of it becoming a self-stimming behavior pattern.

• How to cue it: Put your fingers in your ears and inhale and bring your teeth together exhale humming.

Dog Breath

• Purpose: This exercise will oxygenate the blood and cells and is suppose to cleanse the body of toxins. Helps with oral motor and tongue awareness. Helps with facilitating swallowing.

• How to cue it: Sit comfortably with your mouth open. Relax you tongue out and pant like a dog on a hot summer’s day. Breathe fast , panting deep and pumping your belly.

Snake Breath

• Purpose: This exercise is to help with oral awareness of your tongue and tongue placement behind your teeth. Helps with extension of exhalation. Sound can be calming.

• How to cue it: Breathe in or Smell in to your nose slithering up tall in the grass and now slowing breathe out making a “ssssss” sound like a snake keeping your tongue behind your teeth. Try and do this as slowly as you can.

Heart Center Press

• Purpose: calm themselves down while sitting still in a chair.

• How to cue it: Press your hands to together in the middle of your body. See which side is stronger. Push as hard as you can. Now breathe in and relax your shoulders down making you sit tall and proud.

Hook Ups• Purpose: This is good for cross co-ordination and is

calming (socially acceptable form of chanting) and learning vowel sounds.

• How to cue it: Reach your arms out in front, cross your arms and then clap and clasp your fingers. Scoop your fingers down to your lap and then up to up to your chin. Point your elbows down and breathe in and make the vowel sound “A”, Breathe in “E”, Breathe in “I”, Breathe in “O”, Breathe in “U”.

• How to adapt it: Hug yourself when you are saying your open vowel sounds

Breath of Joy

• Purpose: warm up activity. Increase trunk and upper extremity active range of motion. Dynamic standing balance.

• How to get into the pose: Hold hands together and arms straight, swing arms over the head, exhale and let them fall to your side. Inhale clasp and reach up again, exhale bend and let your hands fall between your legs.

• How to adapt it: Do it seated in a chair or in comfortable seated postion on the ground

Breath of Joy

Locks and Retention

Purpose: To control breath and increase concentration. But beware of contraindications on Breath Retention –Hypertension/High Blood Pressure, Glaucoma, Sinus or Head infections, Pregnancy, asthma/respiratory conditions, Cardiac/Circulatory conditions and anxiety disorders.

How to cue it: Inhale for 5 hold for 3 and Exhale for 5. To activate your root lock –activate your muscles you use to go to the bathroom but have to hold it until you find a bathroom. This can help with stability and feeling grounded.

Namaste

• The light in you sees the light in me.

• Please feel free to reach out further via email at angeliquecourts@gmail.com

References

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• Therapeutic Effects of Yoga for Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature, Author: Galantino, Mary Lou PT, PhD, MSCE; Galbavy, Robyn PT, MPT; Quinn, Lauren DPT, Pediatric Physical Therapy: Spring 2008 -Volume 20 - Issue 1 - pp 66-80,

• Mind-Body Therapies for the Pediatric Oncology Patient: Matching the Right Therapy With the Right Patient, Mary Jane Ott, Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, Vol. 23, No. 5, 254-257 (2006 )

• A Core Stability Group Program for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: 3 Clinical Case Reports, Author: Kane, Kyra BSc, PT; Bell, Ali MSc Pediatric Physical Therapy: Winter 2009 - Volume 21 - Issue 4 - pp 375-382

• The effectiveness of body-oriented methods of therapy in the treatment of attention-defecit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): results of a controlled pilot study Author:Haffner J,Roos J,Goldstein N,Parzer P,ReschF, Volume:34 Issue:1, Page:37-47 Year:2006 Source:Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother, ID:16485612

• Spatial and verbal memory test scores following yoga and fine arts camps for school children. Author: Manjunath NK, Telles S

Source: Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, 48(3): 353-6 2004

• The effects of yoga on the attention and behavior of boys with Attention-Deficit/ hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Author: Jensen PS, Kenny DTSource: J Atten Disord, 7(4): 205-16 2004

• Effect of yoga training on handgrip, respiratory pressures and pulmonary function. Author: Mandanmohan , Jatiya L , Udupa K , Bhavanani AB Source: Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, 47(4): 387-92 2003

• Massery, M.(2006). Mulitsystem consequences of Impaired breathing Mechanics and/or postural control. Cardiovascular and pUlmonary Physical Therapy Evidence and Practice, ed 4. D. Frownfelter and E. Dean. St. Louis MO., Mosby aand Elsevier Health Sciences: 695-717.

• Massery, M. P. (1991). “Chest Development as a component of normal motor development: imp[lications for Pediatric physical therapists.” Pediatric Physical Therapy 3(1): 3-8

• Noggle, J. J., Steiner, N. J., Minami, T., & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2012). Benefits of yoga for psychosocial well-being in a US high school curriculum: a preliminary randomized controlled trial. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 33(3), 193-201

• Kauts, A., & Sharma, N. (2009). Effect of yoga on academic performance in relation to stress. International Journal of Yoga, 2(1), 39.

• Butzer, B., Day, D., Potts, A., Ryan, C., Coulombe, S., Davies, B., … & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2015). Effects of a classroom-based yoga intervention on cortisol and behavior in second-and third-grade students A pilot study. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 20, 41-49

• YogaFit training manuals Level 1,2, and Kids Yoga-Copyright 2003