How To Correct Your Posture - 5 Home Exercises To Fix Your Posture

Poor posture can result in neck pain, shoulder knots/tension, and headache pain. As a physical therapist these are common complaints I treat in my clinic - oftentimes these issues correlate directly with a person's posture. Today I'm sharing 5 of my favorite exercises you can do at home to help correct these postural issues.

OTHER VIDEOS TO WATCH AFTER THIS ONE:

As a physical therapist, I treat many posture related problems.

The thing is – people don’t come in to my clinic complaining of “bad posture“. People come into my clinic complaining of the symptoms that are typically associated with bad posture. Neck pain, knots in your upper shoulders, headache pain, etc. are typically related to poor posture.

These are the complaints for which people typically seek Physical Therapy help; little do these patients know how many of them wouldn’t be in any pain if they just spent some time addressing their posture!

Today on Tone and Tighten I wanted to discuss these postural issues – specifically what is poor posture, why you developed it, and some simple exercises you can do to correct this problem.

WHAT IS POOR POSTURE?

Poor posture is typically characterized by what we refer to as a “forward head and rounded shoulders“ posture. When you stand up straight and tall, if I were to look at your profile from the side your ear should be directly located over the tip of your shoulder. Your sternum/chest should be pointed up with your shoulder blades sent back. This is what “good“ posture looks like.

In this position, gravity holds your head squarely on top your neck with very minimal muscle activation required. This results in minimal tension, decreased muscle knots, and decreased muscle activation.

WHY DOES POSTURE MATTER?

Again, bad posture is typically characterized by a “forward head and rounded shoulders“. Forward head refers to the position of your head relative to your shoulders. It simply means that if I were to look at your standing posture from the profile view your ear would be out in front of the tip of your shoulder.

This typically causes a “rounding“ forward of the shoulder blades and an increased visible “hump“ in the upper back.

In this position, your head is not in an ideal anatomical location. Gravity would cause it to flop forward if not for some muscle activation to hold it up. So to prevent your head from flopping forward you must activate the muscles in your neck and upper shoulders.

15–30 minutes at a time this might be OK, but when you spend 8 – 12 – 16 hours in this position, those muscles can get extremely fatigued.

The result is increased tension in your neck, pain with movement, stiffness, knots in your upper shoulders, and even headaches.

HOW TO TREAT POOR POSTURE

The muscles in your body are highly adaptable to stresses placed on them or removed from them.

Our forward head and rounded shoulders posture typically results in what we refer to as an “upper cross syndrome“. The muscles through the front of your chest and back of your neck get tight while the muscles through your upper back and front of your neck get stretched out and week.

The treatment for this poor posture issue is to basically reverse our “upper cross syndrome“. We need to stretch where it’s tight (upper chest, front of the shoulders, and neck) and strengthen where it’s weak (rhomboids and middle traps – between your shoulder blades).

Here are 5 of my favorite exercises to help you overcome these problems. Push “Play” on the video above for a detailed description of the principles discussed in this post including an explanation of the following exercises.

(0:00) INTRODUCTION
(1:01) WHAT IS POOR POSTURE?
(2:05) SIMPLE POSTURE TEST
(4:10) FOAM ROLLER OVERHEAD
(6:41) FOAM ROLLER ANGEL
(7:26) DOORWAY STRETCH
(8:49) WALL ANGELS
(10:47) FLOOR ANGELS

Performing these exercises regularly will help to improve your posture. In fact many of my patients notice a significant improvement in about a month; it might be up to 3 months to see a remarkable improvement (it took your body a long time to develop poor posture; it’s going to take some time and effort to reverse this problem). You have to be diligent and consistent, but I know these can help you out!

Many people refer to a "hunchback" posture when talking about this problem. Here are more great exercises to fix "hunchback" posture:

[thechangeofyes]

I’ve being doing these exercises for 1 month, every day, 3 times a day for 5 minutes each. This stuff definitely works and I’ve noticed not a big difference, but a HUGE difference!

[AbhikSethi]

Coming here after 1 year of doing this! I am back in shape! Can't thank this man😭. Love you sir!!❤️ EVERYONE BE CONSISTENT IN DOING THIS.

[caelenselke-minogue]

One thing a lot of people don't realize about poor posture is that it can also effect your mood and your confidence. I've noticed that when I walk with good posture I involuntarily move with more purpose, I feel more confident in my surroundings, and more people will notice or move out of my way in a crowded hallway. It also makes you look more sure of yourself which will cause people to regard you with higher esteem and can make you more attractive.

[kariirak]

Note to myself:
Stretch exercises (2 mins)
5:04 foam roller with towel overhead
6:49 foam roller snow angel motion
7:36 doorway alternative
Strength exercises (1 - 2 mins)
9:21 phase 1 wall angel motion
10:54 phase 2 dive motion

[uiddqid]

7:36
9:22
10:52

Just saved for myself the exercises which don't require a foam roll. Thank you for your video!

[drunkturtle]

7:36 Door exercise (3 reps hold for 20secs)
9:21 Wall angels (1-2mins)
10:53 Floor angels

[JazzSparky]

Good solid advice, mate. I feel daft for having always thought my posture was just the way I am and would take years to do anything about. The doorway stretch in particular has made an immediate difference for me. I do full body workouts and think I've evened out the strength in my back and chest, but didn't see the results I wanted in my posture until now. I'll never underestimate stretches again.

[meg]

Hi its Helen here... i prayed about my posture lots and asked God to help me and give me wisdom - I know God led me to watch your video - i did the excercises as best i could - thank God and thank you - the good results were / are immmediate.
Blessings... keep doing what your doing - God's gifted you to do this... its helping people - i know this for sure...

[RONXOp]

Good to see that im not alone with poor posture 😂🤣😂😂

[benemler]

Man I cried with tears of joy from the relief I got from this! Thank you!

[angiesmith]

I am so happy I found you! I have been having chronic pain for a few month now and was almost ready to call my doctor! After the first go-through, I know this will work! It has already made me aware of how much tension I have in my back, chest, shoulders and neck! Thank you, thank you, thank you! ❤

[adriana-mjeg]

These exercises hurt so bad, I’ve had bad posture my whole life and only now i’m fixing it. Great video 👍🏻

[SolarisNXN]

Guys, these exercises REALLY WORK! I did them for just one week to get rid of months of headaches and they went and I started sitting straighter! I’m going to start again for my posture tomorrow! Love your content so much!!!

[stonecoldhitman]

This video has made a huge difference in reducing my neck and shoulder pain. thank you.

[helenbajorek]

Thank you so much! My head is foreword and when I drive, my head is up and I have been getting lots of pain in my neck while driving! Thanks again!!! ❤

[adgeyuk]

Been doing this for almost a month now, I suffered with back pain, not only is the pain gone but my posture is realigned. Thank you so much for this video 🙏

[Becky-llvl]

Jared, thank you for the great coaching with this stretching video. It’s easy to let stretching go because “I don’t have time” but at 78 I’ve decided my health and fitness are worth the time so I am motivated to start stretching and stay consistent. I think it will help with other exercises I’m doing and generally make me feel better.

[HawaiianSundayz]

Omg I love

4 years later and still works, life saver !!!!

[emilythesongbird]

Thank you for these simple and supportive suggestions. I woke up with horrible shoulder/neck pain. I will follow your suggestions daily and change my postural habits.

[Suribot]

This man has serious commitment towards helping people!