# Breathing Exercises for Rib Flare: 90/90 and Exhale Drills Rib flare is when the lower front ribs stick out, often because the ribcage stays lifted as if you were halfway through a breath in. Breathing exercises for rib flare aim to let the ribs come down: lie with your knees bent, breathe out fully through pursed lips while the lower ribs drop, then breathe in gently without letting them pop back up. ## How to do the rib-lowering breath 1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, or rest your heels on a chair so your hips and knees are at about 90 degrees (the "90/90" position). 2. Place your hands on your lower ribs at the front and sides, thumbs towards your back. 3. Breathe in gently through your nose and feel the ribs widen to the sides and back, not lift towards your chin. 4. Breathe out slowly through softly pursed lips, as if fogging a mirror. Keep going until it feels complete, and notice the lower ribs sink and narrow under your hands. 5. Pause for a moment at the end of the exhale, without straining, then let the next breath in arrive quietly through your nose. Try to keep the ribs from flaring up as it comes in. 6. Repeat for four to six slow breaths, rest, and do one or two more rounds. Two short sessions a day are plenty to start. The timer above paces an even, unhurried rhythm. You can ignore the count and simply make each exhale long and complete. ## Two variations **Side-lying rib breathing.** Lie on your side with your knees bent and a pillow under your head. Breathe into the upper side of your ribcage, feeling it widen against your hand, then breathe out fully and let it settle. Do both sides. This helps if one side flares more than the other. **Balloon exhale.** Some physiotherapists add a balloon: after a nose breath in, breathe out slowly into a balloon to make the exhale longer and fuller, then pinch it closed and breathe in through your nose again. This version comes from a published 90/90 bridge exercise. Stop if it makes you dizzy, and skip it if you have a lung condition. ## Why the ribs flare The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle attached around the inside of the lower ribs. When you breathe out fully, the dome rises and the lower ribs move down and in. If someone habitually breathes high in the chest, holds their belly in, or stands with an arched lower back, the lower ribs can stay lifted. Strong exercise habits such as arching the back during overhead lifts can make it more noticeable. Some people simply have a ribcage shape where the lower ribs are more prominent, and breathing exercises do not change bone shape. ## When to use it - **As a daily reset:** A few rounds lying down in the morning or evening help you learn the feeling of ribs moving down on the exhale. - **Before exercise:** One round before core or overhead work can make it easier to keep the ribs down while you train. - **When you notice yourself breathing high in the chest:** Slow [deep belly breathing](/breathing/deep-breathing) uses the same idea in a seated position, and [box breathing](/breathing/box-breathing) adds a counted rhythm. The [breathing exercises guide](/breathing) compares other options, and [5-4-3-2-1 grounding](/grounding/54321-method) helps if you breathe fast when stressed. ## Who should be careful Stop and breathe normally if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or tingly; that usually means the exhale or the pause was forced. Do not push air out with effort or hold your breath. If you have asthma, COPD or another lung condition, a heart condition, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or physiotherapist before doing long or balloon exhales. Rib flare that appears on one side only, changes quickly, comes with pain, follows an injury, or is part of a sunken or raised breastbone (pectus excavatum or carinatum) should be checked by a doctor. In children and teenagers with a noticeably uneven ribcage or spine, ask a doctor to look for scoliosis. These exercises are for posture and breathing habits, not for structural problems. ## Why it works: what the research says The evidence here is mostly physiological, not trials of rib flare itself. Laboratory work on the diaphragm shows that it works for both breathing and posture: during movement, the diaphragm and deep abdominal muscles act together to raise pressure in the abdomen, which helps steady the trunk. That gives a plausible reason why breathing habits and trunk posture are linked. The 90/90 position with a balloon exhale was described by physical therapists as a clinical exercise to restore a full exhale and the diaphragm's position. It is a clinical suggestion based on experience, not a controlled study. No trials have measured whether breathing exercises reduce rib flare in healthy adults, so treat them as a low-risk way to change a breathing habit, not a sure fix. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can breathing exercises fix rib flare? They can help when the flare comes from breathing and posture habits, by teaching the ribs to come down on the exhale. They do not change the shape of your bones. If the flare is structural, they mainly help with posture and comfort. ### How long does it take to see a difference? People who notice a change usually do so over a few weeks of daily practice. There are no studies that measure this, so use how your breathing and posture feel as your guide. ### Is rib flare dangerous? Usually not. It is often a posture and breathing pattern. See a doctor if it is new, one-sided, painful or follows an injury, or if your breastbone looks sunken or raised. ### Should I do ab exercises for rib flare? Gentle exercises that keep your ribs down while you breathe out, such as dead bugs, can complement the breathing work. Start with the breathing first so you can feel the ribs move before adding load. ### Why does one side flare more than the other? Many people breathe or stand slightly unevenly, which can make one side more prominent. Side-lying breathing on the more flared side can help. A noticeably uneven ribcage is worth a check for scoliosis. ## References - Boyle KL, Olinick J, Lewis C. The value of blowing up a balloon. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2010. Clinical suggestion, not a controlled trial. [PMC](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2971640/) - Hodges PW, Gandevia SC. Changes in intra-abdominal pressure during postural and respiratory activation of the human diaphragm. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2000. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10956340/) ## Update history - 2026-11-11: First published with the rib-lowering breath, the 90/90 position, side-lying and balloon variations, and evidence limits.