Breath & Practice: Sticky Ribs, Stuck Fascia & the Power of the Diaphragm

Lately, I’ve been reconnecting with my own breath — and noticing how much we all tend to hold or forget it.

Several of my recent clients have come in with what I call “sticky ribs” — that feeling when your ribcage doesn’t fully expand, the breath feels shallow, and there's a subtle tightness around your lungs or chest. Maybe you’ve felt it too?

This stickiness often comes from:

Stuck fascia — the connective tissue that wraps around your ribs, lungs, and diaphragm

Too much sitting or driving — compressing the thoracic area and reducing full rib expansion

Post-viral recovery — like the flu (which recently swept through our town), where inflammation and shallow breathing linger

Whatever the reason, the invitation is clear:

It’s time to breathe deeper and oxygenate your body.

Why Oxygen Matters

When you breathe deeply and fully:

You increase oxygen to your brain, muscles, and tissues

You support your immune system and lymphatic drainage

You shift from sympathetic (fight/flight) to parasympathetic (rest/digest) mode

You reduce inflammation, improve energy, and boost mental clarity

Your Diaphragm = A Lymphatic Pump

The diaphragm is more than a breathing muscle — it’s a powerful pump that massages your internal organs and helps circulate lymph.

Every deep inhale moves the diaphragm downward, compressing your abdominal organs. This rhythmic movement helps:

Propel lymph upward through the thoracic duct

Stimulate the cisterna chyli — a lymphatic reservoir near your lower ribs that collects lymph from your legs and abdomen

If your breath is shallow, this pump doesn’t activate. That means more stagnation, swelling, brain fog, and even digestive issues.

Beginner-Friendly Breathing Practices

1. Diaphragmatic 4-7-8 Breath

Helps reset the nervous system and move lymph.

How to:

Inhale for 4 seconds through the nose

Hold for 7 seconds

Exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 seconds

Repeat for 4 rounds. Feel your ribs expand sideways and your belly soften.

Rib Cage Expansion Breath

This helps unstick fascia around the ribs and get the diaphragm moving again.

How to:

Place hands on the sides of your rib cage

Inhale deeply through your nose, directing the breath into your hands (sideways expansion)

Exhale with a gentle sigh

Do this for 1 minute. Try it lying down with knees bent or seated upright.

Final Words

Breath is always available to you. Even one deep breath can shift the moment.

And when we move from “sticky ribs” to soft, expanding lungs — the whole body flows better.

Try one of these practices today and notice how your system responds.