Unsightly upper back HUMP? Get help here.

We get 2-3 people in a week complaining about their upper back hump, what is often referred to as a Dowager’s hump. In this video we go through the No. 1 cause of Dowager’s hump and a few exercises to help.

What postures lead to this hump?

The sitting in a slouch position for long periods of time, combined with a few other factors is often the culprit. When a posture is assumed for long enough, then the structure of the spine can change and this ‘hump’ is pronounced in the upper back.

Be aware of the following:

  • Sitting with rounded shoulders
  • Having your head in front of your shoulders. Aim to have ear over mid point of shoulders.
  • Stiff pectoral muscles
  • Lack of exercise for mid back and shoulders
  • Prolonged sitting at the desk or couch

3 exercises to help

1. Mid back Strengthening

With a Theraband try the following:

  • stand with legs a hip level and brace your core
  • Hold band and create some tension in it
  • Bring it up to chest height
  • Pull back until you feel some tension in your mid back, in between your shoulders
  • Hold for 4 seconds
  • Repeat 5-10 times

2. Lie on a towel or Posture Pole

Roll up a beach towel or a bath sheet. Place your head and bottom on the rolled up towel, have your knees bent and palms facing up on the ground. Aim to lie in that position for 5 minutes and each day increase the time so you reach 15minutes.

Goal; align your neck over your shoulders and stretch the front of the chest

3. Posture hook

The goal with this to build your postural awareness. This is what you need to do:

  • Stand or sit
  • Imagine a hook in your sternum with a long string and big helium balloon attached to the top
  • Feel the gentle upward tug

Give it a go and feel the elongation it creates, allowing head to lift, chest to lift and shoulders to sit back. This is one of my favourites.

How many times should you aim to do this in a day? 100 times minimum!

What if my hump doesn’t go away?

Trying the exercises above and increasing your postural awareness is often all is needed. If the hump is not reducing or eliminated, what we see, with such cases is that the problem is structural.  You may consider seeing a musculoskeletal doctor, a Chiropractic BioPhysics is our recommendation for this condition to find out how the health of the spine.

Call us on 9329 1118

Any questions about the No. 1 Cause of Dowager’s Hump, our chiropractors are always happy to answer any of your questions.

Lisa Smycz, chiropractor 

If you would like to know more about what ideal posture looks like, then CLICK HERE.  To find out if you can pass the sit to stand test CLICK HERE.

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