Slouch. Why am I slouching? What to do. An effective exercise for a hunched back. Posture. Causes of stooping in adults and children I stoop a lot, what to do

Modern life has created so many conditions for a person to lose his proud, upright posture. Lack of physical activity and sedentary office work will inevitably force even the most resilient individuals to bend their backs. The relevance of the problem is also evidenced by the abundance of various methods that offer to teach, how to stop slouching. Our review today is devoted to the most effective ways to get rid of round back syndrome.

The first place to start is to assess the degree of your stoop. If the harmony of cypress left you not so long ago, then simple, but nevertheless effective methods may be suitable.

How to stop slouching: ways

If the road and surrounding conditions allow, look up from the dirty sidewalk to the horizon line; at the same time, your back will involuntarily straighten. The most advanced students can be advised to master the “power walk” of Carlos Castaneda.

2. Take care of the ergonomics of your workspace.

The time has come to buy a comfortable chair or armchair with a high back that you can lean on securely. Adjust your computer monitor so that it is at eye level. The elbows of the hands working on the keyboard should lie on the table. Take regular rest breaks during which you can do the helpful exercises below.

3. Enlist the support of your friends.

Find a reliable person next to you who can often remind you to straighten your shoulders. In the absence of such an assistant, install a reminder on your phone or use a special chip.

4. Electronic correction.

This device was designed only in 2014. It is attached to clothing and analyzes the isometry of the back and neck. If the chip notices deviations from the norm, it goes into vibration mode. The device, which relieves stoop, is still undergoing clinical trials. Despite its imperfections, it has already won many fans.

Defects in posture may be caused not by anatomical, but by psychological reasons. This is the area of ​​medicine where physiology and psychology are closely connected. This is especially true for adolescence when the psyche is not yet stable.

Problems such as worries (real or imaginary) about appearance, strained relationships with peers or relatives lead to the fact that a teenager wants to become more invisible. He internally strives to shrink, so he lowers his head and shoulders. In zoology, this is explained by the “ostrich effect.” In psychosomatics, such a stoop is associated with a protective fetal position, in which the child unconsciously goes into a zone of calm and security.


If you notice a similar causal relationship with poor posture in yourself or your children, try to eliminate it as soon as possible. The older a person gets, the more difficult it is for him to straighten up.. But modern medical methods and devices may well answer the question: “How to stop slouching?” even in the most difficult cases.

Medical ways to get rid of stoop

If you consult a doctor with this problem, then get ready to listen to a lecture about a large number of consequences that poor posture can lead to over time. The seriousness of the issue may vary depending on the qualifications of the doctor and the status of the medical institution.

However, these warnings should not be discounted. Not for everyone and not always, but severe slouching can:

  • lead to displacement of abdominal organs;
  • increased load on the spine and, as a result, scoliosis, osteochondrosis, pain in the lower back, legs and other undesirable complications.

What methods do exculaps offer to eliminate stoop?

Depending on the indications, the following may be prescribed:

  • special massage;
  • manual therapy;
  • wearing a medical corset (back brace);
  • physiotherapy;
  • physiotherapy.

The last point is perhaps the most important of the entire medical arsenal, so it should not be neglected. As a rule, it includes exercises to strengthen the muscles of the back, neck and the whole body as a whole.

Here are some exercises for slouching:

1. Back to the wall.

The simplest, but quite effective activity, of course, if you do it regularly (at least once a day). It's perfect even for short breaks from work in an office environment.

Lean your back against the wall so that several points on the back surface of your body touch it, namely: the back of your head, shoulder blades, buttocks and heels. Straighten up and stand there until you get tired (of you or your boss), but at least 3-4 minutes. The secret of this exercise is that our body, in addition to mental memory, also has so-called muscle memory. It remembers the correct position and maintains it reflexively for some time.

2. Kenyan woman.

We offer you like African slim girls walk around with a load on your head. Of course, you shouldn’t carry heavy loads in this way without preparation. It will be enough to use a pillow or a book as a “headdress”.

3. Kitty.

This exercise is taken from yoga and has the mysterious name “Marjariasana”. It is performed from a position on all fours. First, the back is rounded as much as possible by arching upward. All movements must be done very smoothly - “like a cat.” Then also slowly bend downwards as much as possible. If you have one at home, first watch how professionals do it.

4. Lock on the shoulder blades.

To do this exercise, you need to put your hands behind your back and lock them together. Then try to raise your hands to your shoulder blades and arch your back.

Today you almost never meet a person with a proud posture, straight shoulders and a straight back. The modern world of technology, sedentary work, constant trips by car or public transport are waging war against our bodies. And so far they are winning on all fronts.

The good news is that we can win using a few simple tactics. Yuri Elkaim, a health and fitness expert, has developed a simple workout that will help straighten rounded shoulders.

Why do we slouch and what does it lead to?

The reason for our rounded shoulders is wrong. A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle leads to muscle imbalance. The chest muscle contracts and the scapular muscle (upper back) weakens, which over time can lead to a hunchback.

A straight back and squared shoulders have many benefits. Besides the obvious improvement in appearance, correct posture has also been shown to affect mood, confidence levels and can even help you feel more confident. Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial..

How to fix slouching

1. Stretching

If you decide to fight stoop, then first of all you should pay attention. Regularly performing the exercises suggested below will help you maintain the correct vertical position of your back and not round your shoulders. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds several times a day.

Chest and shoulder muscles

Starting position - standing. Clasp your hands behind your back. Focus on gently pulling your shoulders back and down, avoiding pulling your neck forward.

Anterior thigh muscles

Starting position - standing, right leg in a lunge. Lower your left knee and push your hips forward slightly until you feel a stretch deep in your hamstrings. Switch legs.

Quadriceps femoris

Starting position - standing. Grab your leg with your hand behind you and gently pull up until you feel a slight stretch in the front of your thigh. Switch legs.

Hamstrings

Starting position - sitting. Stretch one leg forward, bend the other in front of you so that the knee is pointing to the side and the heel is towards the groin. Slowly lower your chest down to your thigh, using your hands to reach the toe of your straight leg. Switch legs.

2. Exercises for the back

The proposed exercises will help strengthen the muscles in the area of ​​the shoulder blades, which are responsible for moving the shoulders back and down. Perform these several times a week in addition to stretching.

Scapular push-up

Get into a push-up position. The body should form one straight line from head to toe. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and then return to the starting position. Perform 5–10 repetitions.

This type of push-up, unlike a regular push-up, involves making a small movement and is aimed directly at the upper back muscles, which are responsible for bringing the shoulders into the correct position.

Sliding along the wall

Starting position - standing with your back to the wall. Tuck your chin in and press your hands against the wall, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds. To better work the upper back muscles, you can slowly move your arms up and down.

Scapular abduction

Stretch the band around a stable object at waist level. Keeping your elbows at your sides at a 90-degree angle, pull the band toward you until you squeeze your shoulder blades together. Return to the starting position and perform 8–12 repetitions.

3. Yoga

Yoga helps develop strength and flexibility, which is great for correcting posture. The proposed poses will help stretch and strengthen problem areas. Stay in each position for 20-30 seconds.

Cobra

Starting position - lying on your stomach. Push off the floor and straighten your elbows, trying to engage your back muscles. Focus on opening your shoulders while tilting your head back slightly.

Downward facing dog

Starting position - standing on all fours, hands under your shoulders. Push off the floor and straighten your legs, lifting your hips toward the ceiling. Strive to keep your head and neck in line with your spine, and try to touch your heels to the floor.

Upward facing dog

Starting position - lying on your stomach. Push your hands off the floor and straighten them completely, placing your feet on your toes. Your hips should rise slightly off the floor so that you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders. You can combine the two poses by moving from Downward-Facing Dog to Upward-Facing Dog in one fluid motion.

4. Basic exercises

Strengthening the core muscles with the suggested exercises will help set the spine in the correct position.

Plank

To perform, assume a push-up position, with your hands under your shoulders and your body forming one straight line. You can also do exercises on your elbows. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds.

Medicine ball exercise

Starting position - lying on the floor, legs and arms extended upward. Hold a medicine ball (1 or 2 kilograms) or other suitable weight. Lower your right leg and left arm off the floor, holding the ball overhead between your left leg and right arm. Switch legs and arms. Perform 8-10 reps.

5. Exercises with a massage roller

This is a very useful tool for myofascial release, which will help relieve tension in the muscles and connective tissues.

The foam roller helps increase blood flow to muscle tissue, improves mobility, speeds recovery and improves performance. Try using it 2-3 times a week for maximum results.

Upper back

Lie on your back and place the bolster under your upper back. Cross your arms over your chest or clasp them behind your head and slowly roll back and forth. Pause in areas of tension for 20–30 seconds.

Rib cage

Turn over to face the floor and place the bolster under your rib cage near your shoulder joint. Move your hand up and down, feeling the roller hit various points of tension in your chest. Stay at these points for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Now you know five simple ways to win the war with rounded shoulders. Remember that the result will depend on the regularity of performing the proposed exercises and poses.

The problem of stooping is quite common. And both for men and for women. The main reason for stooping is weak back muscles. How to deal with stoop? First of all, strengthen your upper back. Therefore, we will work on this area and in a few days the first results will be visible.

The problem of stooping is quite common. And both for men and for women.

Main The cause of stoop is weak back muscles. How to deal with stoop?

First Turn, strengthen the upper back.

Therefore, we will work on this area and in a few days the first results will be visible.

1. Starting position –feet shoulder-width apart, arms to the sides.

Make circular movements with straightened arms, first forward, then back. Repeat the exercise 6-8 times in each direction.

2. Starting position – arms down along the body, feet shoulder width apart. Alternately lift your left shoulder, then your right. Repeat the exercise 6-8 times.

3. Starting position – hands on the belt, feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your shoulders sharply, then slowly lower them. Repeat the exercise 6-8 times.

4. Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, hands clasped behind your back. Slowly stretch forward, arching your spine as much as possible and moving your clasped hands back. Then return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 6-8 times.

5. Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, arms placed freely at the seams. Raise your right hand up, take your left hand back, bend your elbows and try to connect them behind your back, return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise, changing the position of your hands, 6-8 times with each hand.

Bonus - to consolidate and truly achieve real results, we finish complex -1 5 minutes

standing against the wall. Necessarily.

And no special street magic or expensive exercise equipment. Everyone has a wall, if you have legs you can stand, that means everything you need, to gain correct posture, you have.

All you need is a catalyst - that's your desire. This is the same energy that makes the world revolve around you, what makes you act and get what you want.

What is so special about this exercise? In this exercise for correct posture, we show the body the position we want to take; with regular repetition, the muscles remember the new position of the body. This is how a new habit is formed.

Well, let's get started. To begin with, choose a wall without a plinth so as not to interfere with your heels, or a regular door will do. In general, you need any flat vertical surface. Go to the wall and press yourself so as to touch with 4 points:

  1. back of the head
  2. shoulder blades
  3. buttocks
  4. caviar
  5. heels

Frequent mistakes are when, when slouching, they move their head back excessively in order to touch the back of the head to the wall, instead of bending in the thoracic region. Try to unbend and straighten your chest, and keep your head straight. Another mistake is when they do not fully touch with the shoulder blades, but only partly. Try to almost close them and touch the wall with the entire surface of the shoulder blades, that is, turn them parallel to the wall. Shoulder movements: down and back to the wall.

Now stand. Stand as long as you can, but at least 2-3 minutes to start. At first it will be difficult to stand, since the muscles are not used to maintaining posture in this position.

But it’s okay, it will pass. Then gradually increase the time, for example, add 10-30 seconds every day. You will be surprised how quickly you can stand in this position for 15-20 minutes or more.

In addition, you can add a few basic movements when standing:

  • Lift your knees one at a time and use your hands to help pull them toward your chest. 10 times each
  • Then lift your legs one by one without bending your knees. 10 times
  • Side bends. 10 each way
  • Squat 20-30 cm. Also 10 times.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that all these exercises are performed without lifting the back of your head, shoulder blades and pelvis from the wall, otherwise all the positive effect disappears and you are simply training poor posture.

After you have stood and moved around the wall, move away from it and walk around a little, trying to maintain your posture as if you had a wall glued to your back. After about 5 minutes, go back to the wall and check how successful you were, adjust if necessary.

That's all, now you are convinced that correct posture = exercise is an effective formula. If you haven't yet torn your soft spot away from the chair to test this in practice, it's time to do it now. No one will do this for you.At the same time, share your results from using it in the comments..

Sometimes it seems that perfect posture can be a source of pride only for athletes, ballerinas and top models...

Most of us sit huddled at the computer desk and at the dining room table., we walk down the street hunched over and constantly complain of systematic pain in the neck and back. Let's face it - it's just laziness. It's time to fix it urgently!

Pump up your abs

Good posture is ensured not only by trained back muscles. Moreover, the main burden of fixing the spine in a straight position falls on the stomach; they form the corset on the muscles of the lower abs, and make it possible to keep the lower back straight. This means training should start with this muscle group.

It's not difficult at all, even if you don't really like sports and gyms. It is enough just to accustom yourself, under any circumstances, to draw your stomach in and try to hold the muscles in permanent, weak tension. You will notice the result almost immediately: with a tense press, you involuntarily bring the lower part of the spine into the correct position. And at the same time, your waist looks more elegant.

Learn to sit correctly

You may not believe it, but if you watch yourself, you will definitely notice that you are pulling your head into your shoulders. You can finally be convinced of this if you sit on a chair in front of a mirror. When we sit down, the body leans forward and the head tilts back a little. This unnecessarily loads the cervical spine, and the result is its deformation. Light exercises will help solve this problem.

Lower your chin to your chest, bring your shoulder blades towards each other as close as possible. This way you relieve tension from the cervical spine and stretch it.

Straighten your back as straight as possible and make circular movements with your arms, similar to crawl swimming. This way, you develop the shoulder muscles, making it easier for them to hold a straight neck. Do not sit on stools until you get used to keeping your back straight, because the lack of support is an additional incentive to slouch.

Set up your mobile phone

Remember the stories about boarding schools for noble maidens, where future society ladies were taught posture with the help of incredibly tight corsets, a stick under the elbows and a ruler? We are luckier in the 21st century, and even... your mobile phone can track the correct position of your back. The inventors have already come up with the Upright program, which will signal us about posture. ABOUT It works very simply: first you need to take the exact position of your back, straighten it carefully, lower your shoulders, determine the correct position of the neck and the length of the chin.

Next, you can activate the program itself: it will clearly remember the position of your posture as ideal, and subsequently, if you suddenly hunch over or sit unevenly, it will immediately inform you about this via a sound signal. It doesn't matter whether your phone is in your pocket, hanging around your neck or attached to your belt. A technical miracle.

Sign up for a yoga class

It is unlikely that you will be able to find a more effective and at the same time enjoyable way to get your back in order. Smooth movements, static poses, and all kinds of stretches help your body learn to control the muscle corset and straighten the intervertebral discs. Simple asanas can be easily performed at home.

  • Stand straight, legs together, lower your arms down and move them slightly away from your body, as if you were going to lift yourself off the floor. The chin should remain slightly lowered, the eyes look down, fix this position for a minute.
  • In the morning and evening, it is very useful for correct posture to stand in the “hands to feet” pose: keep your legs together and lean forward while trying to clasp your ankles with your hands. This stretches the spine well and removes the “habitual curvature.”
  • Sit sideways to the mirror so that you can control the correct position of your back. You need to bend your knees under yourself, and at the same time lower your pelvis onto your heels, place your palms calmly and relaxed on your knees, and straighten your knees as evenly as possible, try to fix the position and sit in it for 3-4 minutes. If you do this exercise twice during the day, the muscles will gradually begin to remember the correct position.

Go to the pool

Being in water, our body becomes practically weightless, so it is much easier to control it. To achieve perfect posture best backstroke style when the neck is completely relaxed, the body position is strictly horizontal, but at the same time absolutely all the back muscles are involved in the work, because thanks to them a person is able to stay on the water.

At the same time, you don’t feel any overexertion: you can swim at a pace that is comfortable for you, adjusting the speed. To prevent your swimming session from becoming too boring, you can alternate backstroke swimming with active swimming in any other style, this way you can also strengthen your shoulder muscles.

Test yourself

Stand in front of the mirror and take the ideal position. Then step away, move around a little, do a few bends and squats, and return back to the starting position, and don't peek. Now check in the mirror, did you manage to keep your back straight? If so, congratulations!

And also try wearing only tight-fitting jackets; it is very uncomfortable to slouch in them due to the narrow back.

A sedentary lifestyle leads to the development of many health problems. Among them, the most common is stooping. Because of it, the figure deteriorates, and people become shorter. Slouching negatively affects a person’s appearance and health. Therefore, people with this pathology often wonder how to stop slouching.

The problem occurs as a result of weakening of the back muscles. It appears more often in men than in women. In adulthood, stooping becomes generalized due to loss of muscle definition. The figure of people becomes like a chess piece of a knight. With timely treatment, the defect can be eliminated. If left untreated, the stoop progresses, and the person, even if desired, will not be able to hold his back straight and becomes hunchbacked.

How to stop slouching as a girl

The beauty of a woman lies in her proud and beautiful posture. People with good posture have an elegant gait. Therefore, despite the prevalence of stooping among men, ladies are more in need of maintaining beautiful posture. Despite existing stereotypes, representatives of the opposite sex, first of all, pay attention to a woman’s posture. This encourages ladies to take care of their back health.

To stop slouching, girls in different eras resorted to peculiar tricks. Eastern women danced with a saber, and our compatriots walked with books on their heads. Today, ladies do not need to resort to such radical measures, because there are many techniques for correcting posture.

The sedentary lifestyle of the current generation aggravates the situation with posture, but you shouldn’t leave everything to chance. It is necessary to take measures to solve the problem, because the curvature of the spine is not only an aesthetic problem. It provokes pinched nerves and leads to the formation of an intervertebral hernia.

Spinal curvature can also cause a number of other problems:

  • decreased immunity;
  • weakening of muscles;
  • flat feet.

In people with this pathology, vision, liver and intestinal function are impaired.

Self-control is considered an important condition for maintaining beautiful posture. You need to regularly remind yourself to keep your back straight. It will be difficult at first, but over time it will become a habit.

Even during sleep, a woman should control herself and lie straight. This is very important because many people manage to hunch over even in their sleep. The place you sleep has a big impact on your spine. The mattress should be firm and even, and the pillow should be low, but quite hard.

Most people who slouch are unsure of themselves and experience emotional distress. In such a situation, the problem can only be solved with the help of a psychologist. The key to good health is an active lifestyle and physical activity.

Active sports activities will allow you to lose excess weight, which puts stress on the spine. The muscles are also strengthened and the symptoms of lordosis and scoliosis are eliminated. Fitness, gymnastics and swimming have a beneficial effect on posture.

The type of physical activity is selected individually for each person. But they all require willpower and perseverance. For successful treatment, you need to practice every day for at least half an hour. An effective exercise is considered to be pull-ups on the bar. When performed regularly, the muscles become stronger and the spine takes the correct position. Women can perform exercises on the Swedish wall.


Special corsets help you to take the correct position. They are small in size, so they can be worn under clothing. The only drawback of such a device is that it strongly compresses and restricts movement. But a corset is most effective in solving the problem of stooping.

It is selected by the doctor after assessing the patient’s condition. Depending on the degree of stoop, different corsets are prescribed.

The specialist will also tell you what exercises you need to do to strengthen your muscle corset and restore beautiful posture. Not a single corset, even the highest quality one, can strengthen your back as much as playing sports and performing special exercises.

If you follow these recommendations, you will become the owner of beautiful posture within 6-8 months. More advanced conditions require long-term treatment. But after just a few months of wearing the corset and following the recommendations, a noticeable improvement occurs.

Therapeutic massage is considered a proven and good helper for back health. A professionally performed procedure will strengthen the muscle corset and ensure blood flow.

If a child slouches


The problem of stooping comes from childhood. Unfortunately, not all parents pay attention to this problem, but they are the ones responsible for the health of their children. Therefore, they should know how to learn not to slouch and tell their child about it. The reasons why a child slouches depends on his age.

In young children under 3 years of age, stooping is usually a hereditary problem, the result of abnormal development in the womb. Sometimes this problem appears due to improper care of the baby.

From 4 to 8 years old, the child slouches because he leads a sedentary lifestyle. Parents must be involved in the physical development of their child and tell him how to maintain posture, sit and walk correctly.

In children aged 9 to 13, spinal problems are usually associated with rapid growth. Muscles may not have time to develop behind the spinal column. For some children, a psychological factor is triggered: they bend down to the ground in order to appear smaller and not stand out from their peers. The only effective way to help is to wean your child from slouching.

Teenagers spend a lot of time at the computer and rarely play sports. They are already of a conscious age to understand what consequences their lifestyle may have. Therefore, they need to set priorities and find something to do other than computer games. Sport will forever rid them of the desire to hunch over.

It is necessary to start fighting the stoop of children as early as possible. An unformed child’s body can be corrected, so eliminating problems with posture at a young age will be much easier than for a mature person.

You can enroll your child in a sports section or a dance club. Have you ever seen a stooped dancer? Of course not. Good posture will be an incentive to dance.

You can perform gymnastic exercises only after consulting a doctor. For some children, for health reasons, any exercise is strictly contraindicated. An orthopedic doctor will conduct an examination and collect complete information about the patient, analyze research data, and select the optimal treatment.

Back exercises are considered one of the main components of complex treatment. A set of special exercises will strengthen the muscle corset and stabilize the position of the spine. Children are recommended to use the swimming pool. The optimal number of classes is 3 times a week.

Exercises for beautiful posture


The effectiveness of pull-ups has already been discussed, but not everyone can do them. There are other equally effective exercises for stooping. You can use the proven recipe of medieval ladies. It involves walking around the room with a book on your head. You can start with one thin book and gradually increase the number. Doing this exercise will correct your posture and improve your gait, making it beautiful and sexy.

Set of exercises:

  • Lock. Stand up straight, put your hands back, locking them. Raise the connected hands as high as possible. At the same time, tilt your head back. When performing this exercise, you feel tension in the back and a slight crunch in the spine.
  • Stand next to the wall. They lean against the wall so that the back of the head, shoulder blades, buttocks and heels touch its surface. You need to stay like this for as long as possible.
  • Bridge. Eliminates back problems. But people who regularly perform exercises simply cannot have them.
  • Box. You need to lie on your stomach, move your legs and reach your head with them. This exercise will be difficult to do at first. But after a while it won't be difficult.

All exercises are performed very slowly to avoid injury. They need to be done every day and several times.

After some time, the first result will appear, and over time you will develop the habit of monitoring your posture, which allows you to look slimmer and more beautiful.