Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Chest expansion

Welcome to the site.
I only have 1 cm of chest expansion as of my last check up and it has been slowly decreasing over the years. I have been told that I have Costochondritis (which is pain from the joints in the chest and is usually common with fusing of the chest).
The pain is very similar to that of a heart attack,but not quite as severe, but very concerning.
Here is a link to tell you more.
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic116.htm

Dan.


Who knows what the drugs will do to us?

HI,
My chest expansion is only 1cm. I started about five since I used to work out, jog five miles a day and smoke maybe 4 cigarettes a day. Slowly and surely the chest started to fuse. I also walked about 2 miles a day during work since I delivered the US Mail. Starting last year my expansion went down to 1cm. I had so much pain in the rib cage. But I didn't know or could tell my expansion where getting smaller until last year. My rhuemy told me to do breathing exercises. But that doesnt matter. The chest expansion is still 1cm. I notice that when I am done eating my ribcage hurts alot. Does anyone else have that problem?

Dan

Hey all!

Firstly, someone said that their doctor told them that normal expansion is a couple of inches. Not. It's about 5 cm. I'm at 5 cm in the morning and drop to about 3.2 cm after one cigarette. Most weeks, I only smoke 3 or 4 a day. This week. Well. I'm redecorating, what can I say.

I often do deep breathing on the streetcar in the morning. I inhale through my nose as deeply as I can, making sure to expand my ribcage along with it (stomach breathing is easy to slip into). Then, I hold it until I think I need to exhale, but I inhale a little more through my mouth and hold it for another few seconds. I do this over and over. I think sometimes that people might think I'm wierd, but I'd rather that than fused ribs.

And to those who are concerned because they've been doing their exercises, but their chest expansion hasn't improved. Has it got any worse? If nothing else, that could be your inspiration to continue. Just a thought.

Hugs,
Kat

Interestingly enough my physio had me start on a new set of chest / breathing exercises a few weeks ago.

It's not to try and breathe in as much air.... its to do with making sure you empty your lungs better

To start with you think, eh, hows that going to help your expansion... So here's the explaination. Your need for oxygen is governed by the amount of CO2 in your lungs. Your breathing in need is driven by the amount of CO2 being fed back into the lungs.

What she had me do was to squeeze more air our on the breath out and hold for a couple of seconds and then breath in by chest finishing off with stomach. Once youv'e practised this a few times you can do it almost without thinking.

As a result I've got a few more cm's back, am breathing slower and I'm sleeping better (but that might not be related!)

So, take your own conclusions from this - the usual caveats apply - i.e. might work for some not others

Also not a good idea to hold your breath too long - you tend to turn blue after a while. LOL

Happy breathing
Jo

I was down to 1cm expansion a couple years ago, and now am at 2.5 - 3cm due to a great exercise a physiotherapist gave me. Roll up a towel into a cylinder shape, not a hand towel (too small) but a regular or bath sized one and place it along your spine between shoulder blades while lying down on it. It will raise you off ground (or bed, sofa, wherever you want to lay) should be firm surface, and stretch your chest like you're yawning big time pushing arms out and toward back and breathing deeply helping to expand chest. I know this works, it worked for me and a few other of her clients! I regained almost 2 full cm!

good luck

Doug

Wow Doug!

I would think thats a big improvement! What Jo spoke of above also sounds like it makes sense... Sometimes I don't feel oxygenated enough, now my thought is from exactly what Jo mentioned... Not getting the CO2 out.

I'll be trying both of these methods, and see what happens..

Thanks guys!

R

Hi Dan,
I recognize the problems with eating. I got them too in the periods the expansion is little. I think it is a problem because there is less space in your body because you have to breathe with your stomach and you've also got to store the food.

I feel a bit sorry cause I maybe made it feel easy to get back expansion. I could not have done it without my fysio. So when your rheumy tell you to do exercises: that is not enough. Nobody can do this on his own. Wel maybe with Doug's towel trick you can but normally you need someone to help you, check you and loosen the things up you can't reach yourself. When that is done, the exercises will be able to maintain what you have got and to make you aware of that.
Gerard

" Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have."
-Stephen Wright-

Um, re. chest expansion being a couple of inches or 5 cm its approx. the same thing. 1 inch = 2.54cm

Don't think you can - KNOW YOU CAN