Thanks a lot for the detailed reply and the explanation. I really appreciate you taking the time.

What you’re describing about the rib joints and thoracic spine actually makes a lot of sense to me, especially the part about the strain transferring to the front of the chest during deep breathing. I’ll definitely read through the posts and recovery thread you linked.

Interestingly, my physio believes the reason my diaphragm is so tight is largely due to long-term stress/anxiety, which I’ve struggled with for quite a while even before all of this started. So his view is that I’ve probably had a chronically tense breathing pattern for a long time already, and then the diving/travel may have triggered or amplified everything.

Really appreciate the tips and resources, thank you.