Chronic Neck Pain in Athletes: Why Breathing Might Be the Missing Piece
If you're an athlete or an individual dealing with constant neck and shoulder tightness, we get it. You stretch. You massage. You foam roll. And yet… that tension keeps creeping back.
Here’s something you probably haven’t considered:
It could be your breathing.
Seriously.
Your breathing patterns (especially under stress or load) can throw off the way your body moves — and cause your neck and shoulders to do way more work than they should. Let’s break it down.
🫁 The Connection Between Breathing and Neck Pain
Breathing isn’t just about oxygen. It’s a full-body movement involving your diaphragm, rib cage, and several core stabilizers. When that system is out of sync, your neck often picks up the slack.
1. Shallow Breathing = Neck Overload
If you're breathing mostly with your chest (a pattern called "apical breathing"), your rib cage lifts instead of expanding outward. That puts extra strain on your neck muscles — including your traps, scalenes, and SCM — and over time, they get tight, overused, and painful.
2. The Diaphragm Is More Than a Breathing Muscle
It’s also a key core stabilizer. When your posture or breathing mechanics prevent your diaphragm from doing its job, other muscles jump in to compensate. Cue: neck and upper body tension.
3. Stress Mode = Tight Muscles
When you're training hard or under pressure, your body enters "fight-or-flight" mode — your sympathetic nervous system kicks on. That often leads to fast, shallow breathing… and you guessed it: more neck tightness and delayed recovery.
🔍 Signs Your Breathing Might Be Causing Your Neck Pain
Wondering if this is your situation? Here are some common clues we see at Resolve PT and Performance in Cherry Hill:
Constant tightness in your upper traps and neck
Little to no belly or rib movement when you breathe
Slower recovery between workouts
Jaw clenching or teeth grinding
Feeling “tight” no matter how much you stretch
✅ How to Fix It and Start Feeling Better
Here’s the good news — with a few simple strategies, you can retrain your breathing and reduce neck tension for good.
1. Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing
Try this daily drill:
Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat.
One hand on your chest, the other on your belly.
Breathe in through your nose and feel your rib cage expand.
Breathe out slowly through your mouth emptying all your air.
Repeat for 5–10 minutes daily or during cooldowns.
2. Learning the “stacked” position
Here’s what to watch for:
Ears stacked over shoulders, shoulders over hips
Ribs down (not flared), core gently engaged
Ribs over pelvis
3. Work With a Pro
Sometimes you need an expert to help you reset the system. At Resolve PT and Performance, we use advanced movement techniques and breathing assessments (like Postural Restoration concepts) to identify where your movement or breathing mechanics are breaking down — and fix them.
🧠 Local FAQ: Athletes in South Jersey Ask Us…
Q: Can breathing actually improve performance?
Absolutely. More efficient breathing = better oxygen delivery, less tension, and faster recovery.
Q: How fast will I feel a difference?
Most athletes notice a change in just a couple of weeks — especially with consistent practice and guided training.
Q: What if I’ve already tried breathwork and still feel tight?
You might need a more advanced, sport-specific assessment. We dive deeper than the typical “just breathe deeply” advice.
💬 Need Help? We’re Right Here in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Chronic neck pain doesn’t have to be your norm — and you don’t have to figure this out on your own.
At Resolve PT and Performance, we help runners, lifters, and active adults throughout Cherry Hill, Marlton, Haddonfield, and the greater Philadelphia area get to the root of nagging pain and build smarter, more resilient movement patterns.
🗓️ Ready to Feel Better, Breathe Better, and Perform Stronger?
👉 Book a Free Consultation with our team today.
Have questions before you book? Just contact us — we’re happy to help.
