How and Why to Un-hunch Your Shoulders

Whether we realize it or not, many of us spend a lot of time slouching and hunched over, with our shoulders forward.

We hunch over our phone, our computer, and our steering wheel when we drive. It can become second nature, but all that poor posture has an effect.

Effects of Poor Posture

“Slouching … forces your chest muscles to tighten, which pulls your spine forward and rotates your shoulders inward, while at the same time weakening the muscles of your upper back that aid in posture, a personal trainer tells Business Insider.

“In other words, you start looking like a hunchback and may experience pain in your neck, lower back, and even arms and legs.”

Poor posture can also include “tech neck,” where we bend or strain our neck downward or in other positions while using our phone or other devices. This results in discomfort and digital disabilities.

How to Un-hunch Yourself

Thankfully, once you’re aware of your hunching habit, you can help fix it.

Better Posture:

Start by trying not to hunch over in the first place. Instead, try to maintain an upright posture with open shoulders and chest and a more natural neck position. Imagine you’re on an elevator and lift your body toward the sky. Open up, roll back and relax your shoulders.

As you’re on the phone, computer or driving, try to notice if you’re starting to hunch or pulling your head and neck forward (which we can tend to do unconsciously when on the computer or driving) and adjust your posture.

Exercises:

In addition to proper posture, you can also do simple stretches and exercises to un-hunch your shoulders.

Wall angels: Stand with your back against the wall. Put your arms on either side of you against the wall at a 90-degree angle with your hands up. Slowly raise your arms, while remaining contact with the wall, and lower them back down to a 90-degree angle. This helps open the chest and shoulders.

Door Stretch: Stand in a doorway. Place your palms on either side of the frame of the door. Keeping your body straight, let yourself fall through the entryway, keeping your palms against the frame. Stay here for 15 seconds, then rest.

Regular chiropractic adjustments can also help counteract the effects of slouching and hunching over. Contact us to schedule your next adjustment and talk to Dr. Mike or Dr. Rion about simple exercises that may help you.