Diaphragmatic Breathing: What Can a Measuring Tape Reveal?

How can diaphragmatic breathing be observed in psychotherapy? Discover how to assess lower rib cage expansion, abdominal mobility, and the areas of tension that may interfere with respiratory movement.

Below the video, you will find:

• Further reading and insights

• A link to download the PDF, featuring key takeaways, practical guidelines, and follow-up questions

Breathing with the diaphragm is about more than just expanding your belly

A simple tailor's measuring tape can become a useful tool when working with people who experience anxiety, stress, or difficulties regulating their physiological state.

Of course, anxiety cannot be measured in centimetres. However, this tool can help us observe a specific aspect of breathing: how freely the lower rib cage expands during inhalation.

When someone learns to breathe diaphragmatically, observing abdominal movement alone is not enough. It is also important to consider the movement of the lower ribs, the coordination between the different components of breathing, and the possible presence of excessive muscular tension.

1. What should we observe during diaphragmatic breathing?

The diaphragm is a key muscle involved in breathing. During inhalation, it contracts and moves downward, helping increase the space available for lung expansion. Its movement is coordinated with that of other respiratory muscles and also contributes to the expansion of the lower ribs.

For this reason, diaphragmatic breathing is not simply about voluntarily pushing the belly outward.

A first exercise involves observing the movement of the rib cage during normal breathing. A tailor's measuring tape can be placed around the lower ribs, without tightening it, to compare the circumference at the end of a normal exhalation with the circumference reached during inhalation.

Alternatively, the hands can be placed on the rib cage to directly feel its expansion.

The goal is not to reach a predetermined measurement, but to observe how freely the body moves and how much effort is required to do so.

2. Does a bigger belly mean better breathing?

Not necessarily.

The abdomen can be voluntarily pushed outward, increasing its circumference, without this necessarily indicating that more air has been inhaled or that the diaphragm is functioning more effectively.

Likewise, less visible abdominal expansion does not automatically mean that breathing is less effective.

The important distinction is therefore not just how much the abdomen moves, but also how it moves.

Someone may try to perform a breathing exercise correctly by deliberately tensing their abdominal wall. This contraction can make the natural expansion of the rib cage more difficult or lead to unnecessary muscular compensations.

Conversely, when unnecessary tension is released, the rib cage and abdomen may be able to move more freely and in a more coordinated way.

3. Bodily tension, stress, and emotional regulation

These observations can be particularly valuable in clinical practice.

Some people describe a habitual state of control, rigidity, or difficulty letting go. They may also report tension in their neck, shoulders, or back, while trying to relax through breathing exercises that paradoxically end up requiring even more effort.

Observing breathing patterns allows us to identify specific aspects that can be explored together with the patient: excessive abdominal contraction, unnecessary involvement of other muscle groups, or difficulty allowing movement to happen without constantly controlling it.

Within the work on Somatic Memories and Integrative Sciences, this perspective fits into a broader interest in the relationships between bodily sensations, emotions, perceived personal capabilities, and a sense of safety.

A change in breathing may give someone the opportunity to experience a different way of organising their body. In some cases, this experience may be accompanied by noticeable changes in tension, ease of movement, or a sense of control. In others, the changes may be more limited.

It is important not to automatically assign psychological meaning to breathing patterns: a particular breathing pattern alone cannot tell us anything definitive about someone's personality or establish the presence of trauma.

4. Three practical observations to use in clinical practice

When guiding a patient through an exploration of diaphragmatic breathing, three aspects can be considered.

Lower rib cage expansion. During inhalation, can the lower rib cage expand without excessive effort?

Abdominal wall mobility. Does the abdomen move relatively freely, or is it pushed outward through deliberate muscular contraction?

Comparing tension and release. When the person compares breathing with a contracted abdomen to breathing while releasing unnecessary tension, what changes in movement, effort, and bodily sensations?

These observations can be explored further through dialogue and integrated into the broader therapeutic process. They are not diagnostic tests and, on their own, are not sufficient to assess overall respiratory function.

Conclusion: Better observation means more possibilities for intervention

Working with breathing is not just about teaching a technique. It can also mean helping someone recognise how they use their body and experiment with different ways of organising movement, reducing unnecessary tension whenever possible.

A tailor's measuring tape is simply a small aid to this exploration. Its clinical value does not lie in the measurement itself, but in the differences we can observe and discuss together with the patient.

Sometimes, an apparently simple detail can open up new questions and suggest further directions for therapeutic work.

Download the PDF for key takeaways, practical guidelines, and follow-up questions.