The Valsalva Maneuver… A breath of fresh air Take a deep breath in, then out. Feels good doesn’t it? However, chances are you would be holding your breath if you were trying to lift something heavy. Almost all individuals, from Olympic weight lifters to weekend warriors, will hold their breath while straining, also known as the Valsalva Maneuver (VM). The VM is commonly used while lifting, coughing, and going to the bathroom. Although there is a benefit to holding your breath while lifting, there are also some very serious risks. Even holding your breath while performing low-level therapeutic exercises can be detrimental. At any one of our SPTA clinics it is not uncommon to hear our staff utter the words “Don’t hold your breath”. The VM is one of body’s ways of increasing intra-abdominal pressure, providing more support for the back during lifting. This is done by not allowing air to escape from the lungs. Unfortunately, the VM has the ability to increase your blood pressure into the 200’s! Effects of increasing your blood pressure by so much are dizziness, fainting, decreased blood flow to the heart, and even stroke. As you can see, there’s a reason we are concerned about you holding your breath. The rigidity resulting from the VM can also be achieved by simply contracting your abdominal muscles during the lift, which can be done while continuing to breathe in and out. As long as your abdominals are tight, your spine should be supported, making lifting easier. To ensure you continue breathing during your lifts, there is a very simple technique to accompany tightening your abs. Counting out loud during your lift ensures that you are not holding your breath. As you lift the weight or perform the exercise, you should be breathing out, counting the repetition that you are performing, and while lowering the weight or finishing the exercises you should breathe in. Simply put, there is no need to hold your breath while you perform exercises. The risks clearly out-weigh the benefits. With the simple techniques provided above, the VM should be a thing of the past. If you have any questions regarding the Valsalva maneuver, or any other questions regarding weight training or a musculoskeletal injury, please give us a call at any of our 13 Sports and Physical Therapy Associates locations across Massachusetts. This article was written by Michael Scott, 09 candidate for his DPT at Northeastern University. |
