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Exercises that promote strength and flexibility can help you improve your stance over time. - Harvard Health
Chances are you do a lot to sabotage your posture during the course of an average day: reading a good book with your head down, sitting at a computer, or scrolling on your phone.
Activities like these can get your body in the habit of hunching or slouching. Over time this may lead to physical changes that make it harder to stand up straight and cause a curvature in your upper back, which doctors refer to as kyphosis.
While there are medical causes of kyphosis — such as arthritis, osteoporosis-related fractures in the spine, deteriorating discs, or injuries — some cases of kyphosis can be caused by chronic poor posture over many years. This leads to muscles becoming too rigid and too weak to support your upper body properly. Whether you've noticed you're already starting to slouch or you just want to prevent problems in the future, exercise and better lifestyle habits can help, says Dr. Beth Frates, clinical assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "It's going to take active engagement, exercise, and strength training to improve posture and stay upright," she says.
Chances are you do a lot to sabotage your posture during the course of an average day: reading a good book with your head down, sitting at a computer, or scrolling on your phone.
Activities like these can get your body in the habit of hunching or slouching. Over time this may lead to physical changes that make it harder to stand up straight and cause a curvature in your upper back, which doctors refer to as kyphosis.
While there are medical causes of kyphosis — such as arthritis, osteoporosis-related fractures in the spine, deteriorating discs, or injuries — some cases of kyphosis can be caused by chronic poor posture over many years. This leads to muscles becoming too rigid and too weak to support your upper body properly. Whether you've noticed you're already starting to slouch or you just want to prevent problems in the future, exercise and better lifestyle habits can help, says Dr. Beth Frates, clinical assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "It's going to take active engagement, exercise, and strength training to improve posture and stay upright," she says.