ONE-SIDED RIB CAGE

DECOMPRESSION

Corrective Protocol: Lateral Tilt and Unilateral Breathing

This exercise uses resistance to promote controlled lateral flexion, torso rotation, and chest expansion, targeting unilateral breathing patterns and lateral tilt asymmetry.


⚙️ Required Equipment:

Cable Machine or resistance band anchored high.

🧍 Starting Position:

Assume a bilateral stance (feet hip-width or shoulder-width apart) facing the machine.

Position the equipment so that the handle with resistance is situated above the shoulder on the side you are working.

Body Tension: Shift your weight onto your heels, ensure your glutes and abdomen are tense (engaged).

Arm Setup: Keep your elbows bent and your shoulder blades in a neutral position.

🚀 Active Part of the Movement:

Lean and Tension: Lean slightly to the side of the apparatus and maximally tense the arm holding the handle.

Push and Rotate: Extend and rotate the arm to actively push away from the apparatus.

Tension Maintenance: Maintain constant tension in the direction of the cable's pull (downward) by actively lifting the shoulder upwards (resisting the pull).

📐 Chest Opening and Stretch:

Torso Tilt: Tilt the chest (upper body) in the opposite direction from the apparatus (lateral flexion away from the anchor).

Linear Motion: Shift the chest towards the apparatus to create a controlled linear side shift motion.

Stretch: Continue the shift and tilt until you feel a strong stretch along the side/lateral fibers of the body (intercostals, obliques, lats).

Pelvic Control: Keep the pelvis neutral (fixed and level) throughout the movement.

🧘 Breathing and Decompression:

Decompression: Continue to maintain tension in the direction of the resistance pull, ensuring you control the decompression achieved through the stretch.

Breathing: Begin breathing deeply into the stretched part of the chest/rib cage.

🏁 Control Point and Return:

Control Point: With full control, release the tension/handles and return to the starting position. You should specifically feel the stretch in the lateral fibers of the body.

Focus: Focus on the correctness of the movements, decompression, and the sensation of stretching in the chest and side body.