A set of exercises (gymnastics) for a stooped back

The spine has several normal curves when viewed from the side. The natural curves of the spine allow you to better distribute the load on the spine and ensure its normal functioning. It is normal for the lumbar and cervical spine to have a slight inward curvature (lordosis) and for the thoracic spine to have a slight forward curve (kyphosis). When viewed from the front, the spine should normally be straight. Deviation of the spinal axis is always a pathology called scoliosis.

The most common symptoms in patients with excessive kyphosis ( slouching ) are the appearance of poor posture (slouching), a “round back” or hump, back pain, muscle fatigue, and stiffness in the back. Most often, these symptoms remain fairly stable over a long period of time and do not progress.

In more severe situations, the patient may notice a progression of symptoms over time. Kyphosis can progress, causing the back to become more hunched. In rare cases, excessive kyphosis can lead to spinal cord compression with severe neurological symptoms such as muscle weakness in the limbs, sensory loss, and loss of bladder and bowel control. In addition, in severe forms of kyphosis, there may be disturbances in the chest organs, since the excursion of the lungs decreases, which leads to disruption of the functioning of the lungs and heart.

Summary:

• What is stoop?
• Causes of stooped back in children
• Causes of stooped back in adults
• How to fix slouching in 14 days?
• A set of exercises against stooping
• What is the difference between stoop and kyphosis?
• Is it possible to get rid of stooping at home?
• Does a corset help eliminate stooping? Classification of corsets
• Application of a corset

What is stoop?

Slouching is a back deformity that occurs due to weak muscles and disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our back is penetrated by a huge number of muscles - they are divided into deep (they help keep the back in an upright position and provide body movement) and superficial (responsible for the beautiful relief on the body, smooth movement and are involved in breathing).

Pinched and displaced muscles affect the functioning of the respiratory system, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels.

Manual therapy and its effectiveness

Manual therapy is considered one of the most effective methods of treating stooped posture in patients over 25 years of age. Manual therapy is considered alternative medicine, however, manual techniques are widely used in orthopedics, sports medicine and neurology. It is necessary to seek the help of chiropractors only in medical institutions and specialized centers that are licensed to engage in this type of activity. It must be remembered that incorrect performance of manual techniques can lead not only to worsening of the problem, but also to spinal injuries (including fractures and vertebral displacements).

Manual therapy is a treatment system that, using hands, allows treatment of the spine and joints, disorders in the muscle system

The most effective manual techniques and their characteristics are shown in the table below.

Table. Manual therapy methods for the treatment of stoop.

Method	What it is?
Acupuncture	Method of influencing the body with medicinal needles. Needles are inserted under the skin at special points on the body with maximum accumulation of biological energy. The method is widely used in China to treat pathologies of the musculoskeletal system and in this country belongs to traditional medicine.
Acupressure	This is a type of reflexology that involves applying pressure (pressure) to biologically active points and irritating them.
Craniosacral therapy	A method of treating back problems using your hands without using force or pressure.
Shiatsu massage	A method of practical manual therapy based on the anatomical and physiological theory of circulation.

The cost of one session of manual therapy for problems with posture in adults starts from 2000 rubles. To achieve a stable result, it may take from 3 to 10 sessions.

Causes of stooped back in children

We come into this world with an absolutely straight spinal column. In the second or third month of life, the first curve appears - cervical lordosis. This happens at the moment when the baby can hold his head up on his own. After another three to four months, a second curve appears - thoracic kyphosis. This is the moment when the child is already sitting independently. At ten to twelve months, when a little person takes his first steps, another curve appears - lumbar lordosis. But only by the age of seven does the formation of all curves end. We wrote more about child posture here.

So why does a child begin to slouch? Here are several possible reasons:

1. Excessive physical activity or lack thereof;
2. Flat feet and other foot deformities;
3. Spinal injuries;
4. Psychological complexes (the child tries to “hide” from the outside world and slouches because of this);
5. Hereditary joint flexibility;
6. Scoliosis, osteochondrosis, kyphosis and other types of spinal curvature.

Causes of stooped back in adults

Although posture is mainly formed in childhood, at a later age situations can also arise that lead to stooping:

1. A sedentary lifestyle (and almost everyone is guilty of this now) or vice versa - too active work associated with lifting weights (in this case, a special bandage will help you);
2. Muscle imbalance (can be caused by lack of activity);
3. Psychological factor (the same complexes or stressful situations);
4. Injuries and diseases of the spine (in these cases, consultation with a doctor is required. Do not self-medicate!);
5. Pregnancy (during this period, the female body changes a lot. A bandage can also help here, so that it is easier for the back to bear the load. But even after the birth of the baby, do not forget to monitor the posture.
6. Wrong mattress and pillow (and sleeping position);
7. Carrying a bag or backpack on one shoulder (the heavier the load, the stronger the curvature).

Corset treatment

If you want to learn more about the types of corsets and how to choose the best back corset for stooping, you can read an article about this on our portal.

Correction of posture using special corsets is quite effective in adulthood, but it must be combined with therapeutic exercises and massage to prevent stagnation of blood, lymph and cerebrospinal fluid in the epidural space located along the spine. Back corsets help control load distribution, reduce pain, and relieve muscle tension. With regular use, the corset helps develop the habit of keeping your back straight and prevents further progression of slouching.

Posture Corrector

In total, there are three types of corsets for posture correction. Only a specialist can choose the right product, so before purchasing you need to consult with an orthopedist.

How to fix slouching in 14 days?

It is almost impossible to completely solve the problem in 2 weeks. Think for yourself: you haven’t paid attention to the health of your back for so long and you’ve been harming it. In addition, it is much more difficult for adults to work on their posture. But anything is possible! In two weeks, of course, you will not achieve royal posture, but in a month this is more than realistic. Well, the first results will be noticeable within 14 days.

Of course, this is difficult to do on your own. Therefore, we recommend that you sign up for the Basic Marathon “BoldlyNET”. Hundreds of women have already achieved amazing results. Be one of them!

A set of exercises against stooping

1. Roller:
   • Place the ball under the shoulder, at the base of the neck. We choose the point where it hurts the most;

   Press your body onto the ball. It can be very painful, so we choose a pressure that we can tolerate;

2. Turn your head away from your shoulder. This creates additional stress;
3. The first time we stand for 15-20 seconds. Each time you need to increase the time.
4. Shoulder and neck relaxation exercise;
   • Place the ball under the shoulder, at the base of the neck. We choose the point where it hurts the most;

   Press your body onto the ball. It can be very painful, so we choose a pressure that we can tolerate;

5. Turn your head away from your shoulder. This creates additional stress;
6. The first time we stand for 15-20 seconds. Each time you need to increase the time.
7. Relaxing the back of the neck
   • We place our hands on the back of the neck;

   Massage your neck with your thumbs in a circular motion;

8. We walk over the entire surface;
9. If desired, you can add an additional movement - rhythmically rocking the head towards the massage movements.
10. Fighting computer neck
    • We clasp our hands behind our backs and move them back as much as possible, and stretch our heads forward;

    We change position - arms forward and head back;

11. We don’t sit down to work until we do this exercise!
12. Getting rid of a hump on the neck
    • Hands clasped behind your back, raise them up;

    We tilt our head back, placing the back of the head on the mound and, as it were, squeezing it out;

13. Hold the position for at least 15 seconds;
14. At the end, rub the hump with dense movements - one hand to the hair, the other down.
15. Ball exercise
    • We take a ball, a little larger than a tennis ball (at the very beginning, working with a tennis ball will be painful and uncomfortable);

    We place this ball between the neck and the wall;

16. Pressing the ball, we roll it all over the neck. We work out pain points especially carefully;
17. We work for 3-5 minutes.
18. We put the shoulder blades
    • The simplest exercise you should do every morning. On the way to the bathroom, we freeze at any doorway;

    We place our feet at the same level with the door, hold the doorframe with our hands and sag our body forward;

19. The pelvis should not hang, the shoulder blades should be brought together; hang for 30 seconds and then round your back, hugging yourself deeply with your arms;
20. We repeat the exercise throughout the day.

How to get rid

Drug treatment

The use of medications is more related to the symptoms that are provoked by a slouched back.

Basically, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, diclofenac) or muscle relaxants (sirdalud) may be required. They help control pain associated with kyphosis.

If the hump occurs due to a bone tissue infection, such as osteomyelitis, then treatment with appropriate antibiotics should be started as soon as possible.

To strengthen bone tissue, especially in growing children or in women with the onset of menopause, vitamin and mineral complexes are used (Milgamma, Calcium D3 Nycomed, Chondroitin sulfate). They are necessary to replenish calcium levels, maintain the elasticity of cartilage tissue, and relieve neurological disorders in kyphosis.

Fixation

For children and adolescents predisposed to developing a hump (Scheuermann's kyphosis), special braces are used. The design resembles a brace system. It must be worn until the spine is fully formed (approximately 14–15 years of age). Modern systems do not limit mobility and allow the child to lead an active lifestyle.

For adults, this method is ineffective; it cannot cope with already malformed bones.

Taping

Taping has recently entered the arsenal of treatment for kyphosis. This technique involves the use of special elastic strips of varying degrees of stretchability, which are glued to the skin and force the muscles to work, resisting the tape.

To straighten the back, the patient must take an upright position while sitting or standing. One end of the tape (tape) is secured at the base of the neck on the side of the spinal table, and the second is carefully stretched to the end of the shoulder blades and secured there. By contracting, the tape creates the necessary tension in the thoracic spine, which forces it to straighten.

The second strip is secured in the same way on the other side of the spine.

Using taping for kyphosis

Taping helps correct posture, and also temporarily relieves tension from the neck and upper back, relieves pain and has no contraindications, except for a possible skin allergy to the adhesive.

Massage

Massaging the thoracic back improves local blood circulation, the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. There is also relaxation of spasmed muscles, elimination of hypertonicity, muscle tension and associated pain.

Typically, massage is performed in courses, 8–10 sessions three times a year. It is not worth doing it constantly, since manual therapy is also a burden on the body, because during the massage, active points and nerve endings are irritated, and many internal processes in the body are triggered.

The massage therapist’s movements should be smooth, without significant effort, avoiding strong pressure on the curvature area, massaging the spinous process of the vertebrae. The massage is performed on both sides of the spinal column on the muscles that surround it.

Manual therapy is contraindicated if kyphosis is caused by infectious damage to the vertebrae (osteomyelitis), a tumor process, tuberculosis, or if there are ulcers, ulcers or other lesions on the skin.

In the absence of contraindications, massage goes well with physical exercise and helps to significantly reduce the severity of the hump on the back.

Physiotherapy

Depending on the age of the patient and the degree of development of kyphosis, a hump on the back can be corrected in various ways.

At home, it is most appropriate to perform special exercises for the upper spine. By training the extensor muscles of the back, you can achieve greater stability of the thoracic region in a normal position and straighten the hump.

An important condition is regularity of classes. They must be carried out every day in the morning and evening. During the day, you should also monitor your posture and volitional effort to keep your spine straight: stretch the top of your head up, open your shoulders, stick your chest forward and tense your abdominal and lower back muscles. Be sure to monitor your feelings. If you feel pain when trying to straighten your spine, dizziness, nausea, consult an orthopedist. Perhaps he will choose another method for you to remove the hump on your back.

The simplest and most effective exercises for kyphosis:

• Mirror reflection. What to do? Try to make such a movement in the spine to take a pose opposite to the hump. Stand with your back to the wall, lift your chin and place your head directly above your body so that it does not move forward. Straighten your chest, bring your shoulder blades together and lower them down, your shoulders should not rise. Hold this position for 30 seconds, gradually increasing the time to 1.5 minutes. Take a break if you start to feel pain. If it is difficult to get the back of your head to touch the wall while maintaining your chin position, you can place a pillow behind you and press your head against it.
• Raising your head. The exercise is performed in a lying position on the floor. The surface must be hard. It is necessary to lift the back of your head from the floor and try to touch your chin to your chest, as if to show a “double chin.” Hold the position for 15 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times. This action stretches the muscles well and strengthens them.
• Superman. An exercise that helps stop the growing hump in children. Lying on your stomach, you need to extend your arms in front of your head. The head is in a neutral position. Now you need to use the strength of your back muscles to lift your arms and legs up and fix this position for 3 seconds, repeat 10 times.
• “Life Extension” - an exercise similar to a yoga pose. The purpose of its implementation is to stretch the tight muscles of the chest and strengthen the weak muscles of the back. Starting position – stand straight, knees slightly bent and gently springing, chest open, shoulder blades pulled back and down. Raise your arms up and slightly to the sides to a Y-shape. Palms clenched into fists, thumbs raised. In this position, take two to three deep breaths, focusing on maintaining this posture as you exhale. Repeat 10 times.
• Pumping the thoracic back. For this exercise, a gymnastic roller is used, which is placed under the back in the hump area. First you need to lie down on it carefully and let your muscles relax. Then you need to roll with a small amplitude back and forth, massaging the back muscles. For greater stretching of the spine, you can stretch your arms above your head as in the previous exercise. You must hold the position for at least 30, gradually lengthening the session to 1 minute.

Mirror image exercise for a hunchback

In addition to these special exercises, yoga, Pilates, swimming, and some martial arts can help get rid of the hump on your back. You should avoid sports that have an increased axial load - kettlebell lifting, weightlifting.

What is the difference between stoop and kyphosis?

Kyphosis is a type of postural disorder. It can be congenital or acquired. It manifests itself in too much bending in the thoracic or sacral region. The first one is more common.

Kyphosis occurs due to:

• spinal deformities or injuries;
• bad heredity;
• muscle weakness;
• some diseases.

And just stooping is one of the main signs of thoracic kyphosis. In this case, the person's shoulders are lowered and tilted forward, as is the entire upper body.

If you do not start to deal with this problem in time, then hunchback may develop. In the initial stages, kyphosis can be cured with special gymnastics, but the more advanced the case, the more methods are used. This can be massage, physical therapy, manual and osteopathic practices, physiotherapy and even surgery. But it’s better not to go to extremes and start doing the exercises right now.

general information

Slouching is a pathological kyphosis, a disease of the spine that manifests itself in the rounding of the upper back with a tilt of the shoulders and the head down. At the same time, the ridge changes its natural curve in the thoracic region. The pathology develops mainly in childhood and adolescence against the background of insufficient development of the back muscles and intensive skeletal growth. But it is often diagnosed in adults working in difficult conditions.

If a person is diagnosed with stooping, there is no need to panic, since structural changes in bones or deformation of cartilage have not yet occurred. An altered posture is simply difficult to maintain due to a weak muscle corset. The bent position is a dangerous habit that should be broken. Therapeutic gymnastics and physiotherapeutic procedures will help you stop slouching.

Is it possible to get rid of stooping at home?

Yes, of course you can return your spine to a healthy state at home. But first understand what condition he is in. To do this you need to do a small test:

1. Lean your heels, sacrum and shoulder blades against the wall.
2. Place your palm between the wall and your lower back - with correct posture, it should fit there comfortably. But if there are deviations, then it either will not pass this distance at all, or only the fingers will pass.
3. Now feel your shoulder blades. Normally they should be pressed against the wall. Otherwise, the stronger the deviation, the stronger the violation.
4. At the end we look at the head. The back of your head should also be pressed against the wall. If you have problems with your posture, then it can shift forward (and quite strongly).

Well, how many deviations from the norm do you have? Spoiler: the more there are, the worse the situation.

So what you can do first is:

• First of all, take care of your sleeping place. Buy an orthopedic pillow and mattress. This will not only help you get rid of slouching, but also improve the quality of your sleep.
• But the mattress is only half the job. It is also important to sleep on it correctly. And this needs to be done lying either on your back or on your side (but in this case you need to put a pillow between your knees).
• You need to stand on two legs. Do not transfer weight from one limb to another; the weight should be distributed evenly.
• When sitting, do not cross your legs. This interferes with blood circulation and leads to swelling.
• While walking, do not lean your body forward.

Exercising in the pool is very helpful for stooping. Only in water can our body relax completely. In addition, there the muscles are pumped evenly and without unnecessary tension. And this is the safest sport.

And again about the roller. Well, yes, we love him very much and are trying to teach you this. Just 5 minutes a day and after 2-3 weeks of regular exercise you will notice the first results - your back will hurt less, stiffness and tension will disappear. Pay attention to the miracle roller with lavender from Beauty365. It will not only evenly distribute the load on the entire spine, but will also help you relax due to the soothing scent of the plant.

Preventive actions

Following a number of simple rules can prevent back curvature and poor posture. First of all, all provoking factors for changes in the position of the shoulders and head are excluded. The main recommendations of specialists that should be used as a preventive measure for stooping include:

• Organization of a sleeping place. It is important to pay maximum attention to purchasing a high-quality orthopedic mattress and pillow. They will ensure the correct position of the spine during night rest.
• Proper organization of desktops. Body position must be perfectly balanced when performing complex tasks that require maximum concentration or computer work. Therefore, it is important to choose a table and chair based on the height of the people who constantly work on it. If they differ radically, it is enough to purchase furniture that is adjustable in height.
• Form the habit of doing exercises every morning. This can be done for a short period of 5-10 minutes, but the exercises should be aimed at all muscle groups.
• Walk more in the fresh air: in the park, forest. You can use a bicycle.
• Sign up for a swimming or yoga class. Attend classes regularly to keep your back in good condition.
• Wear only comfortable shoes with orthopedic insoles.
• Avoid carrying heavy objects on one side, always try to evenly distribute the load on the spine.
• Eat a balanced diet regularly, enrich the menu with dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits.

The tips are equally relevant for both children and adults to form correct posture and maintain it throughout life. It is important to remember that you should not hunch over even in public transport, while walking, or when working at a desk. The habit is formed unnoticed, especially thanks to modern gadgets.

Slouched people not only stand out from the crowd and look insecure, but they often suffer from a number of diseases. Curvature of the spine leads to numbness of the limbs, chest pain, compression of the nerve roots, development of shoulder asymmetry and difficulty breathing. Therefore, it is better to treat incorrect back position in a timely manner, taking a comprehensive approach to solving the problem.

Does a corset help eliminate stooping?

Some people despair and stop believing in their own abilities in the fight against stoop and resort to the help of additional devices. And most often these are corsets.

On the one hand, they really achieve the correct curves of the back, but at the same time they atrophy the already “lazy” muscles. This happens because the supporting structure works instead of the muscles and they, in turn, understand that they can no longer perform their function. What for? They are already doing it for them. As a result, when you take off the corset, it becomes even more difficult to hold your back correctly. Hello, even more severe curvature!

Classification of corsets

Corsets are divided into several groups.

By functional value:

• Fixing - used during injuries. They fix the affected part and prevent the vertebrae from moving from their place;
• Corrective - used for stooping to correct the spine.

By degree of hardness:

• Elastic - made from elastic bandages without rigid inserts. Used for subtle postural disorders;
• Hard - used for severe curvatures and during rehabilitation after injuries. These corsets have special rigid plates sewn into them, which are located parallel to each other on the sides of the spine.

By fixation area (the name makes it clear which areas they support):

• Thoracolumbar;
• Lumbosacral;
• Lumbar.

Application of a corset

The corset is attached either to the naked body or to cotton underwear. The person should stand up straight, spread his shoulders and raise his head.

Elastic bands are thrown forward over the shoulders, and then passed through the armpits and fixed crosswise on the back. Only after this the degree of fixation of the corset is adjusted using Velcro, which is located in the abdomen area.

Children are sent to school with such corsets, and adults go to work. It can make breathing difficult, prevent a person from moving fully, and in the summer it rubs due to the heat. And although manufacturers recommend wearing it no more than 6 hours, it is not always possible to remove the device on time. Then the harm will increase. As a result, instead of beautiful posture, you get weakened muscles and a complete lack of strength in your back.

Don't torture yourself with a corset. Better sign up for the updated basic marathon “BoldlyNET”. There we pay special attention to the back and treat stoop with a special set of exercises. Participants notice that after 14 days the first results appear. Moreover, the classes will take only 5-35 minutes, and you can access them at any time.

Massage

Many people think that they can correct their posture with massage, but this is a wrong opinion. Massage can strengthen the back muscles that support the spine, increase their elasticity, and eliminate muscle spasms. Massage also has a positive effect on blood and lymph circulation in the vessels, ensuring the prevention of osteochondrosis and pain in the back, neck and lower back. The massage must be performed by a specialist with a medical education and license.

Massotherapy

If it is not possible to undergo a professional massage course, you can use special back massagers. You can also perform stroking, rubbing and pinching with a rough washcloth in the form of a mitten, which is put on your hand. The duration of the massage should be about 5-7 minutes. It is better if a person takes a hot shower or bath before this.

Back and neck massager

Note! A contrast shower (alternating hot and cold dousing) also increases the tone of the spinal muscles and promotes gradual correction of posture. The procedure should always be completed with a cool douche. If a person has never hardened before, hardening should begin with cool foot baths: only after this can one proceed to dousing the entire body.

Back and neck massager