They say shallow breathers don’t use diaphragm. How is this even possible? Or even shallow breathers have to use diaphragm to certain degree?

Question

I’m trying to understand deep breathing (Diaphragmatic breathing)
And is it even possible to breathe without diaphragm? Or even shallow breathers use diaphragm? Just not efficient as deep breathers?
And is it possible to strengthen diaphragm like other muscles?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Your breathing is controlled by three sets of muscles: your intercostal muscles between your ribs; your diaphragm and its controlling muscles; and your abdominals.

Tidal breathing (the minimum shallow breathing you do without thinking) often requires mostly your intercostal muscles with minimum diaphragm involvement and no abdominals.

Panting and deep breathing use more diaphragm and start recruiting your abdominals and really deep breathing fully tenses your abdominals muscles to get as much air as possible.

If your breathing is very shallow, such as after injury or when trying to make your breathing as quiet as possible, it’s often possible to breathe using just your intercostal muscles, with your diaphragm simply being influenced by the change in pressure, rather than causing the change itself.