Breathing Papier Mache

Breathing is something we all do every day without much thought. But the way you breathe has a direct impact on your posture and overall function. One helpful way to picture this is through the analogy of papier-mâché.

Think about a balloon wrapped in wet strips of newspaper. When the balloon is fully inflated, it creates a smooth, even surface as the paper dries. But if the balloon is crumpled or only partially inflated, the paper hardens into that same collapsed, uneven shape.

Your body works in a similar way. Your lungs are the balloon, and your rib cage is the paper wrapped around it. When you breathe fully, expanding not only your belly but also your rib cage and even into your back, you create healthy internal pressure that helps support your posture.

In posture therapy, we often use specific positions to train this kind of three-dimensional breathing. The goal is to reset how your rib cage expands, improve the shape and mobility of your trunk, and give your body a more natural way to stay upright. Over time, this kind of breathing supports your core, reduces tension, and makes proper alignment feel less forced.

Taking a few deep, full breaths each day is more than a relaxation tool. It’s one of the simplest ways to support your posture from the inside out.

Serving Colorado from our centrally located office in Westminster and seeing clients from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, Denver and Boulder, we can also help globally via WebCam such as Zoom or FaceTime.

Anu Lawrence owned Egoscue Method clinics for over a decade before moving to private practice in 2022 and is a certified master instructor in the Egoscue Method, having learned the craft from Pete Egoscue directly.