Athletic Performance

Breathing is not just a background function in athletic performance—it’s a central factor that can either enhance or limit an athlete’s capacity.

Breathing influences endurance, power output, recovery and even mental focus.

Many athletes unknowingly develop dysfunctional breathing patterns due to stress, overtraining or imbalances in posture and movement. These dysfunctional patterns—like excessive upper chest breathing, hyperventilation or poor coordination with movement—can reduce oxygen efficiency, increase fatigue and elevate stress responses during performance.

In her assessment process, Dr. Courtney evaluates not only lung function or respiratory rate but how breathing integrates across multiple systems. She looks at three key dimensions: biomechanical (how the body moves during breath), biochemical (how well the breath regulates carbon dioxide and pH balance) and psychophysiological (how breath is affected by emotions, focus, and nervous system states).

For athletes, subtle imbalances in any of these areas can create inefficiencies—like burning through energy too quickly or struggling to recover between sprints or sets.

One of her major focuses is optimising breathing coordination with movement.

For example, many athletes hold their breath or alter their natural breathing rhythm during exertion, which can reduce core stability and disrupt timing.

Dr Courtney teaches breath retraining strategies that encourage diaphragmatic breathing, fluid exhalation and proper timing with muscular contractions. This coordination improves oxygen delivery, reduces perceived effort and supports injury prevention by enhancing core control and spinal support.

Dr Courtney also highlights the importance of nasal breathing in sport.

Nasal breathing promotes better filtration, humidification and nitric oxide production—key for blood vessel dilation and oxygen uptake.

Athletes who default to mouth breathing during exercise often miss out on these benefits and may experience reduced endurance and more frequent respiratory infections. She uses nasal training exercises to help athletes transition into stronger, more efficient nasal breathing patterns, even during high-intensity workouts.

Ultimately, Dr Courtney’s treatment approach gives athletes a toolkit for self-awareness and regulation.

Breathing becomes both a diagnostic lens and a performance lever. By refining their breath, athletes not only enhance their physiological output but also gain greater control over their focus, anxiety and resilience under pressure. In this way, her integrative method places breathing at the centre of sustainable, high-level performance—not just as a mechanical necessity, but as a dynamic performance enhancer.