In the chest there are the breastbone and 12 pairs of ribs. The breastbone can simply said be a plate between the ribs. It is made up by an upper part that is the jugular notch, the middle one is the body and the lower part is the xiphoid process. Between the breastbone and the spine, the ribs runs in an arc. The first seven pair of ribs are called true ribs and the other five pairs are called false ribs, because they don’t attach to the breastbone. The chest protects the heart, lungs and other inner organs.

When it comes to the muscles in the chest, we have among others the big chest muscle, the diaphragm and the inner and outer intercostal muscles. The big chest muscle goes from a broad area on the chest and fastens in the overarm bone. It is used for moving the shoulder joint. The diaphragm goes from the upper so called lumbar vertebraes, from the inside of the six lower ribs and from the xiphoid process. It seperates the chest and the abdomen. It is the most important breathing muscle and contracts when we breathe in and relaxes as we breathe out. Over the diaphragm is the heart and lungs and underneath the liver and stomach. The upper and lower intercostal muscles are the muscles that runs between the ribs. Their most important functions are to strengthen the chest and prevent the tissue between the ribs to be sucked in as we breathe in. They are divided into two layers and between these layers nerves passes together with arteries and venes to the muscles and legs.

Cranio sacral therapy: I can feel if the diaphragm is tense and with different techniques get it to relax and thereby help the breathing positively. There are also techniques to get the chests muscles to relax.