Bad posture
ErikaAurelia
Posts: 127 Member
Something I've had since I was just a kid. I don't even remember when I got it, but it's been with me since before I was 10 years old.
I am 23 now, I have wanted to fix my bad posture for many years but just never got around to it. I will admit that I am lazy. I believe the type of bad posture I have is called "forward head". My shoulders are quite rounded as well.
Here is a picture, maybe not the best but it's something:
I have found several different exercises on youtube. But I feel like I got to be realistic, how long could it take to fix this? First person I spoke to about this gave me an optimistic "a month or two", but I've had this for more than 13 years, I've made no attempts to fix it. If I do maybe 5 different exercises every day, starting today... how long could it take? I guess I will find out, I'll keep an eye on my posture and probably take pictures for my own sake, every sunday or so. (maybe I should share them here?)
It will be interesting. I hope I will see improvements rather fast so that I get motivation to keep on going.
I am 23 now, I have wanted to fix my bad posture for many years but just never got around to it. I will admit that I am lazy. I believe the type of bad posture I have is called "forward head". My shoulders are quite rounded as well.
Here is a picture, maybe not the best but it's something:
I have found several different exercises on youtube. But I feel like I got to be realistic, how long could it take to fix this? First person I spoke to about this gave me an optimistic "a month or two", but I've had this for more than 13 years, I've made no attempts to fix it. If I do maybe 5 different exercises every day, starting today... how long could it take? I guess I will find out, I'll keep an eye on my posture and probably take pictures for my own sake, every sunday or so. (maybe I should share them here?)
It will be interesting. I hope I will see improvements rather fast so that I get motivation to keep on going.
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Replies
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ErikaAurelia wrote: »Something I've had since I was just a kid. I don't even remember when I got it, but it's been with me since before I was 10 years old.
I am 23 now, I have wanted to fix my bad posture for many years but just never got around to it. I will admit that I am lazy. I believe the type of bad posture I have is called "forward head". My shoulders are quite rounded as well.
Here is a picture, maybe not the best but it's something:
I have found several different exercises on youtube. But I feel like I got to be realistic, how long could it take to fix this? First person I spoke to about this gave me an optimistic "a month or two", but I've had this for more than 13 years, I've made no attempts to fix it. If I do maybe 5 different exercises every day, starting today... how long could it take? I guess I will find out, I'll keep an eye on my posture and probably take pictures for my own sake, every sunday or so. (maybe I should share them here?)
It will be interesting. I hope I will see improvements rather fast so that I get motivation to keep on going.
Probably in the range of a year or so. What is your job and what exrevises are you looking at?
Lots of computer work and/or bad phone usage contributes to this.0 -
ErikaAurelia wrote: »how long could it take to fix this?
You will always be managing it. But you can see an improvement instantly every time you practice good posture. That's really the key to correcting slouching - no exercise is as effective. If you find yourself forgetting, try setting a reminder app to nudge you every 5 minutes.
These 2 stretches help:
- pectorals
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bO224K6mS2c
- thoracic stretch
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rUrfdsJV2sY
use a 45 cm ball if you're of average height
The first stretch should be done hourly for best results.
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Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
My job is packing up stuff from boxes and being a cashier. I am studying so the job is not full time, not even 50 %. I am a lot in front of the computer when I am home, but I'm not sitting at a normal table, I'm sitting with a big pillow behind by back, else I get neck pains rather rapidly.
This posture was probably created by looking down on the ground a lot, I had a habit of looking for things on the ground when I was a kid. Found a lot of stuff, but well, I wish I hadn't done that.0 -
Thank you for the links, btw. I have no 45 cm ball + that looks like I would fall off and hurt myself, haha, but thanks x)0
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ErikaAurelia wrote: »Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
yes, Always its called being a big girl and standing up straight.
It will take a conscious effort all day to stand up straight, eveutually you will do it naturally, but that conscious awareness is always there. Strength training will help develop some muscles, but you are still going to have stand up straight. Most people with nice posture are consciously aware of their body and position, and dont allow themselves to slouch. I think years ago girls would tape yard sticks to their backs to remind them to stand up straight.0 -
also i don't think in your picture you have bad posture, you are just slouching a little, its just how your built. if you have back or neck pains, or since you don't like it aesthetically then you could do something. But everyone's bodies are slightly different.0
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ErikaAurelia wrote: »Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
yes, Always its called being a big girl and standing up straight.
It will take a conscious effort all day to stand up straight, eveutually you will do it naturally, but that conscious awareness is always there. Strength training will help develop some muscles, but you are still going to have stand up straight. Most people with nice posture are consciously aware of their body and position, and dont allow themselves to slouch. I think years ago girls would tape yard sticks to their backs to remind them to stand up straight.
I remember back when I was in school the teacher routinely would walk up and smack our desks or chairs with a ruler and say "SIT UP STRAIGHT! STOP SLOUCHING!" when we jumped. I see so many slouchy people and want to do the same to them.0 -
ErikaAurelia wrote: »Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
yes, Always its called being a big girl and standing up straight.
It will take a conscious effort all day to stand up straight, eveutually you will do it naturally, but that conscious awareness is always there. Strength training will help develop some muscles, but you are still going to have stand up straight. Most people with nice posture are consciously aware of their body and position, and dont allow themselves to slouch. I think years ago girls would tape yard sticks to their backs to remind them to stand up straight.
No need to belittle me, thank you.
I doubt all kids around me, all adults etc walk around thinking "stand straight, stand straight" all day long.
Atm it makes it harder to breathe to take my shoulders back to where it looks like they should be, like I have a weight on my chest. It is not pleasant, sure it looks better, but it doesn't feel good at all. If it felt better to stand straight I would probably be more into doing it, but now I only do it when I feel like I have to look better.
Maybe I shouldn't try to push my shoulders back at all when I "stand straight"?
I had a picture showing the posture a bit better but picked the other one since this one is taken from a low position (like, in line with my hips), but I guess I can share it as well.
I will do the exercises and hope that my resting position does not look so poor in the future, and that it will be easier (instead of harder) to breathe when I stand up straight.
I remember back when I was in school the teacher routinely would walk up and smack our desks or chairs with a ruler and say "SIT UP STRAIGHT! STOP SLOUCHING!" when we jumped. I see so many slouchy people and want to do the same to them.
I wish someone would have made me stand straight and look forward when I was a kid, I doubt I would have this problem now if they had. But ooooh well, can't change the past.0 -
ErikaAurelia wrote: »Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
yes, Always its called being a big girl and standing up straight.
It will take a conscious effort all day to stand up straight, eveutually you will do it naturally, but that conscious awareness is always there. Strength training will help develop some muscles, but you are still going to have stand up straight. Most people with nice posture are consciously aware of their body and position, and dont allow themselves to slouch. I think years ago girls would tape yard sticks to their backs to remind them to stand up straight.
I remember back when I was in school the teacher routinely would walk up and smack our desks or chairs with a ruler and say "SIT UP STRAIGHT! STOP SLOUCHING!" when we jumped. I see so many slouchy people and want to do the same to them.
I remember we used to sit down and walk around with books on our heads for a fun way to keep us aware of our posture.0 -
FACE PULLS. A forward hunch shoulder is a combination of tight chest / weak back relative to each other. Stretch your chest with door jam and strengthen your upper back & rear deltoids with the face pull exercise (I like to do 3 sets of 12-15 reps).
Remember, face pulls are an accessory exercise, so it's not about how much weight you can use, but using the muscles with no body-English (i.e. don't use momentum to move the weight, just your muscles).
Edit: Here is a more in depth explanation about face pulls. Don't worry, you won't get as big as Omar
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I remember back when I was in school the teacher routinely would walk up and smack our desks or chairs with a ruler and say "SIT UP STRAIGHT! STOP SLOUCHING!"
Nowadays that might lead to a lawsuit.
ErikaAurelia wrote: »Atm it makes it harder to breathe to take my shoulders back to where it looks like they should be, like I have a weight on my chest. It is not pleasant, sure it looks better, but it doesn't feel good at all.
That's because your chest muscles are shortened from years of slouching. The 2 stretches i posted fix that, and the more you do them, the easier it will be to hold good posture. The effects of stretching don't last long.. about an hour.. hence the need to do it hourly the first few months.. at least the pectoral stretch. Make sure to do that one with your elbow up at nose level, not shoulder level like in Sonya's video, otherwise it won't hit the pectoralis minor muscle, or the lower half of the pectoralis major.
Try to invest in the ball. In the mean time, do this stretch until you get one:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=VU8BjeHcABs
It stretches the intercostals between your ribs, making it easier to keep your chest out.
Don't forget to use a reminder app. 0 -
Thank you both. I thought it might be due to something like that (short muscles).
I do not have a smartphone, so I can't have any reminder app, I'll just try to remember it myself.0 -
HappyCampr1 wrote: »ErikaAurelia wrote: »Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
yes, Always its called being a big girl and standing up straight.
It will take a conscious effort all day to stand up straight, eveutually you will do it naturally, but that conscious awareness is always there. Strength training will help develop some muscles, but you are still going to have stand up straight. Most people with nice posture are consciously aware of their body and position, and dont allow themselves to slouch. I think years ago girls would tape yard sticks to their backs to remind them to stand up straight.
I remember back when I was in school the teacher routinely would walk up and smack our desks or chairs with a ruler and say "SIT UP STRAIGHT! STOP SLOUCHING!" when we jumped. I see so many slouchy people and want to do the same to them.
I remember we used to sit down and walk around with books on our heads for a fun way to keep us aware of our posture.
My mother said they used to back her up to the wall... and putting your arms at your sides, with palms facing out, you needed to be able to twist your arm so that your pinkie fingers reached over and touched the wall. Once you could do that, you were standing straight enough. She also reminded me regularly to "lead with my breasts", lol. - shoulders back. I thank her every day for these lessons because I ended up being large on top and never had issues with my shoulders hurting from carrying the weight.
To the OP - I don't think of it constantly, but it does still cross my mind and many times when I'm seated, I mentally remind myself to sit up straight. You said you don't think normal people go around thinking of it all the time. I think there probably are many of us who do.
Yep0 -
Heck, I bought a lumo lift just to help me think about it.
I'm in a similar boat as you OP... trying to fix years of bad computer posture. I've been walking this road for 2 years now and the only advice I have is "be mindful". Learn to pay attention to your slouch so you can recognize and correct it as it occurs. I'm never perfect, but if I get 80% I'm overjoyed.0 -
HappyCampr1 wrote: »ErikaAurelia wrote: »Jeez, always? So I will never get rid of the bad posture? I know I can stand to make it look better, but that is very tiring and something I have to think about. I am hoping to get to a point where it will look okay when I'm not trying to stand right, like, just a better posture. I have tried walking around thinking "stand straight, head up, shoulders back...", but after a few minutes I forget and fall back to a more comfortable stand.
yes, Always its called being a big girl and standing up straight.
It will take a conscious effort all day to stand up straight, eveutually you will do it naturally, but that conscious awareness is always there. Strength training will help develop some muscles, but you are still going to have stand up straight. Most people with nice posture are consciously aware of their body and position, and dont allow themselves to slouch. I think years ago girls would tape yard sticks to their backs to remind them to stand up straight.
I remember back when I was in school the teacher routinely would walk up and smack our desks or chairs with a ruler and say "SIT UP STRAIGHT! STOP SLOUCHING!" when we jumped. I see so many slouchy people and want to do the same to them.
I remember we used to sit down and walk around with books on our heads for a fun way to keep us aware of our posture.
My mother said they used to back her up to the wall... and putting your arms at your sides, with palms facing out, you needed to be able to twist your arm so that your pinkie fingers reached over and touched the wall. Once you could do that, you were standing straight enough. She also reminded me regularly to "lead with my breasts", lol. - shoulders back. I thank her every day for these lessons because I ended up being large on top and never had issues with my shoulders hurting from carrying the weight.
To the OP - I don't think of it constantly, but it does still cross my mind and many times when I'm seated, I mentally remind myself to sit up straight. You said you don't think normal people go around thinking of it all the time. I think there probably are many of us who do.
Even children?
I think I need more than just thinking about standing straight, but I guess the links I've already gotten might help with that. The part where I straighten up my mid-part/back is easy, that I can do, but the shoulders and the neck is not. I don't know if I've ever been able to correct the forward neck thing just by trying to stand streight, it doesn't feel like it looks any better. I hope the exercises will help with that.
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BecomingBane wrote: »Heck, I bought a lumo lift just to help me think about it.
I'm in a similar boat as you OP... trying to fix years of bad computer posture. I've been walking this road for 2 years now and the only advice I have is "be mindful". Learn to pay attention to your slouch so you can recognize and correct it as it occurs. I'm never perfect, but if I get 80% I'm overjoyed.
By reading all these comments it feels almost as if exercises are a waste of time since a normal posture will never be my normal posture. I really hope it is not like that. I hope that my body will at least change a bit, that it will be far easier to hold a good posture and that my "slacking posture" will be a bit more uncomfortable.
Why are there so many exercises for bad posture if they wouldn't help? I don't know, I just want it to work.0 -
Oh my goodness! I'm in the same boat. I think I had decent posture as a kid. It's now that I spend too much time in front of a computer, and I'm tired all the time from chasing my kids around, and [insert all my excuses here] haha. TBH, I think it really got going when I developed tension headaches. I started slouching when I could feel the headache forming because good posture triggers the muscle in question. Then it snowballed. However, I'm tired of it.
I really have to actively think about it. That neck hump is humiliating and very unflattering on me.
I hope all your tips and stretches help. I'll be giving them a try too. I make sure to sit up, drop and roll my shoulders back, take deep breaths, and stretch into sitting up straight. Good luck! I'm right there with you.
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have you been checked by a doctor to make sure you don't have something like slight kyphosis?0
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Nobody said they wouldn't help. What I see is people saying that it's not likely top become automatic without work and effort. I believe that this is the case with most, if not everyone.
I don't know anyone with good posture who doesn't have to work at it. Even personal acquaintances with immaculate posture, it doesn't happen automatically for them, they have to maintain conscious awareness. Having a strong foundation in the correct muscles helps, but even with good, strong postural muscles they still have to stand up straight or sit up straight, otherwise they still slouch.0 -
I doubt all kids around me, all adults etc walk around thinking "stand straight, stand straight" all day long.
For what it's worth, I'm with you. Mine turned into bad hip pain and lots of migraines. Chiropractor helped me quite a bit, but after those initial adjustments (and figuring out what the culprit was) Yoga has always been a big help. Really shows me which muscles are tight and how I SHOULD feel.
I tend to think about it when I'm walking around. Shoulders back and down. Top of my head up. Chin back. Even try really hard not to walk on the outsides of my feet, which is another bad habit. I sit at a desk all day, feeling tense. It a conscious decision to undo what I've done to myself all day. And I notice when I do focus on my posture, I even feel it in my core. My back and stomach muscles have been used. So I figure it can't hurt, right? If those muscles feel it, then they aren't being used enough.0 -
GrooveMerchant wrote: »I doubt all kids around me, all adults etc walk around thinking "stand straight, stand straight" all day long.
.
Most dont, and you can tell by their horrible posture. it makes my eyes water to see kids these days and if you tell them to stand up straight and care their physical health you are instantly accused of body shaming.
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GrooveMerchant wrote: »I doubt all kids around me, all adults etc walk around thinking "stand straight, stand straight" all day long.
.
Most dont, and you can tell by their horrible posture. it makes my eyes water to see kids these days and if you tell them to stand up straight and care their physical health you are instantly accused of body shaming.
Yep, most peoples posture sucks, stuck in a forward shoulder roll. Check out people's hands when they have their arms at their sides. The thumbs should point pretty much straight ahead, most don't.
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Can you swim? Ever since I started swimming and doing a water cardio class, my posture has improved tremendously. I notice it most when I sit at my desk. It feels awful to slouch now.0
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My posture improved considerably when I took a yoga class in college. Proper posture is emphasized for a lot of the poses or coming back to center after doing a flow. While taking the class, the proper posture just started becoming a habit, and several people commented that I looked taller and skinnier as a result. Unfortunately, my bad habits returned a few months after the class ended, but I will still sometimes think about what I was taught and readjust. I have also heard that strengthening your shoulders and core can help improve posture.0
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I have pretty good posture.
Some of it is natural from childhood, the rest I work on daily.
I do sit straight,I find a slouching position uncomfortable, and when walking, driving, or working on the computer continually check and correct if and when needed. Pelvis in line shoulders back and nutral, head back with chin horizontal to the floor ( the latter is my hardest)
It, correcting posture, does become a natural part of daily life,and not a chore, after a while, and your body feels more comfortable.
Yoga, water aerobics, swimming, walking, and lifting all are good for improving posture; if you concentrate on good form when performing them.
Barbell squats and dead lifts I found particularly effective at counteracting a forward shoulder roll that I was starting to notice.
Oh I forgot to mention belly dancing, that is the most fun way ever to work on posture.
Cheers, h.0 -
It feels worse for you to stand up straight because of the imbalance. It makes it much more uncomfortable for you to make yourself stand straight. It won't always feel like that. Do strengthening exercises for the deep neck flexors, trapezius, and rhomboids and stretch your pecs, and it gets more and more comfortable. Use weights.
I have a different upper-body problem, but I'm getting my shoulders back in position now, when they used to literally hurt to try to pull back correctly. You could push on them and they wouldn't go. So it's not just laziness with you, no! It means that your body structures have grown differently due to time, and that just takes some remedial work for a while is all.
Once I switched to weights and strength reps (long story), I saw a big improvement in 5 weeks. Plus the stretching, of course. They won't move back unless the front stretches that far
Good luck! 0 -
I am another one for mindful practice. I had terrible posture years ago and whenever it came to mind I would sit/stand up straight. Now it has become second nature to stand with good posture and it aches to slouch.
Honestly it's no hardship, just wanting to make the change and doing it when you remember is enough. Just stop once it gets uncomfortable.
After having babies my pt got me doing lat pull downs and similar exercises to strengthen my back and shoulders to help get my posture back and the chest stretches makes sense too. Imo if you are exercising anyway and making a conscious effort to correct your posture when it comes to mind then you don't need to do a special work out for it. Practice makes perfect!
The position of your pelvis also affects your posture. That might help relieve any discomfort from pulling your shoulders back too far if you just tilt your pelvis forward.
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I agree with the comment above.
The more you practice, the easier it will become.
It's challenging at first to overcome a bad habit but you can do it, especially if you've already noticed it and are willing to work on it.
You are half way there already0 -
How about do it to a reasonable comfort level and call that good until the stretching and strengthening kicks in (as it gets more comfortable as a result)?
I swear, one physio had me pulling my shoulders back all day as a direction, and it actually acted my bad back pain up to flare-up level** and made me unable to keep training schedule as well. I don't think she realized the sort of pain I meant. Flash-forward to me doing the strengthening/stretching and skipping the actual positions that felt too awful, and that worked much better. Fixing the strength and stretch made the awful positions attainable, not vice versa. I know that's not true for everyone, but if you feel like they take incredible strength and/or pain to hold back, that's not normal, so the underlying mechanisms need attention first, imho.
**I was trying to brute-force them back to do well, and that caused its own spasms and other pain (like in the joint). Gentle movement toward the goal should be fine, I think, but you might not get the posture fully right at that gentle pull. Just aim for it, comfortably. And do the rest!
I can't tell you how nice it is to have a plan that works better and quicker I do my back lifts and stretching religiously, at low reps with more weight, and it's been amazing how much better that works (for me). It all still hurts after I do it, in my case. But you have to find that sweet spot when it comes to pain and physio. I only need 1 extra rest day, and progress is so much better. That's my sweet spot 0 -
Thank you all for the answers!
When I try to stand straight (without pushing anything that makes it uncomfortable) it kinda feels like I press together the vertebrae and stretch out the stomach to chest area...kinda. Maybe you all know what I mean but I literally know nothing about this, and I've never had good posture, so I just went ahead and made a weird paint-picture to explain what I mean + a photo of me standing like that. I don't try to push back my shoulders or anything, since that is uncomfortable. Would it be mindful enough if I try to keep that posture when awake? Or do I need to try press back my shoulders?
Weird (and probably unnecessary) paint art:
And me:
I'm not sure how it affects the forward neck/head, but chopping the photo I noticed that I didn't cut off some of my face with it, haha.
I wish I had enough money to buy a gym card and get access to equipment, but now I will have to do exercises at home. Could I use that big ball for other exercises? is it very useful? If it is, I suppose it is worth getting. I do have one of those resistance bands that I suppose I could do face pulls with, if I find a good spot. I'm thankful for the tips.
Btw, I find it harder to keep a "good" (if what I have above can be called that) posture when I sit, feels like all weight gets concentrated on the bones in my *kitten*, making it slightly more uncomfortable, haha.0
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