Copyright - Asana Publications
Yoga Therapy for Rounded Upper Back
Share this
Yoga Therapy for Rounded Upper Back
By Yogesh Varun
Our posture is never right as it is to do with our lifestyle and daily activates.
We have been looking at so many issues relating to the back in the Back Care Mantra series. As I came across many people with the rounded upper back issues recently, this message is not only for the people who have this problem, but for all Yoga lovers.
We have been looking at so many issues relating to the back in the Back Care Mantra series. As I came across many people with the rounded upper back issues recently, this message is not only for the people who have this problem, but for all Yoga lovers.
Rounded Upper Back or Shoulder Slouch
If you look at your rounded back and rounded shoulders, you will see that your head and shoulders are being pulled forward. This would indicate that the muscles in the front of your body are overly strong or overly tight, compared to the muscles on your upper back, which are weaker and more flexible. You are also probably well aware that your posture is less than desirable.
Rounded shoulders slouch can become habitual as you repeatedly over time sit in front of a computer, drive a vehicle, or watch TV slouched in a couch. The habit can start early, as you slump forward to protect yourself from the world around you, including the physical and emotional trauma. If you happen to work at a computer, you sit for long hours. All your routine activities, your body has gotten used to sitting, and your muscles are most comfortable in the sitting position. But all that sitting can cause some physical changes that in turn can lead to postural dysfunctions. If left alone long enough, these postural dysfunctions will cause structural changes.
In this case, the upper back is abnormally rounded, the chest is collapsed, and the head is forward. This is frequently associated with depression or poor self-image. Sometimes when you are tried after work or frustrated about something, your shoulder tends to slouch forward. This posture is also seen in older people who have developed crush fracture of the vertebrae due to osteoporosis. Only rarely is it due to congenital bone deformity or scoliosis (which means S shaped spine curved from side to side), which brings imbalance in the shoulder.
If you look at your rounded back and rounded shoulders, you will see that your head and shoulders are being pulled forward. This would indicate that the muscles in the front of your body are overly strong or overly tight, compared to the muscles on your upper back, which are weaker and more flexible. You are also probably well aware that your posture is less than desirable.
Rounded shoulders slouch can become habitual as you repeatedly over time sit in front of a computer, drive a vehicle, or watch TV slouched in a couch. The habit can start early, as you slump forward to protect yourself from the world around you, including the physical and emotional trauma. If you happen to work at a computer, you sit for long hours. All your routine activities, your body has gotten used to sitting, and your muscles are most comfortable in the sitting position. But all that sitting can cause some physical changes that in turn can lead to postural dysfunctions. If left alone long enough, these postural dysfunctions will cause structural changes.
In this case, the upper back is abnormally rounded, the chest is collapsed, and the head is forward. This is frequently associated with depression or poor self-image. Sometimes when you are tried after work or frustrated about something, your shoulder tends to slouch forward. This posture is also seen in older people who have developed crush fracture of the vertebrae due to osteoporosis. Only rarely is it due to congenital bone deformity or scoliosis (which means S shaped spine curved from side to side), which brings imbalance in the shoulder.
Paschima Baddha Hastasana from Tadasana
From Tadasana, bring your hands together and grip the your opposite elbows with your palm and reverse your grip to the opposites again.
From Tadasana, bring your hands together and grip the your opposite elbows with your palm and reverse your grip to the opposites again.
Sethu-Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
Sethu Bandhasana will not only build confidence but reduce the tightness from the shoulder by relaxing the shoulder girdle and the muscles attached to it.
Sethu Bandhasana will not only build confidence but reduce the tightness from the shoulder by relaxing the shoulder girdle and the muscles attached to it.
Bolster Variation
Keep your seat on the edge of the bolster and lie on your back. The shoulder will rest on the floor and the head is a relaxed state.
Keep your seat on the edge of the bolster and lie on your back. The shoulder will rest on the floor and the head is a relaxed state.
Ushtrasana (Camel Pose)
Kneel on the floor with a chair at your back. Keep your feet hip width apart and put your hands on the chair. Now push your pelvis forward and lift the chest upward.Move your spine in between your shoulder blades.Exhale, keep lifting the chest and curve your torso back. Grip the front legs of the chair. Pull from your hands to move your shoulder blade in and lift your chest further.
Kneel on the floor with a chair at your back. Keep your feet hip width apart and put your hands on the chair. Now push your pelvis forward and lift the chest upward.Move your spine in between your shoulder blades.Exhale, keep lifting the chest and curve your torso back. Grip the front legs of the chair. Pull from your hands to move your shoulder blade in and lift your chest further.
Parvatasana from Svastikasana.
(Mountain Pose from Cross Legged Pose)
Sit in a simple cross legged pose where your shin bones cross over in line with the centre of your body and each foot is placed under the opposite thigh. Raise both your arms up and keep them against the wall.
(Mountain Pose from Cross Legged Pose)
Sit in a simple cross legged pose where your shin bones cross over in line with the centre of your body and each foot is placed under the opposite thigh. Raise both your arms up and keep them against the wall.
Cause and Effect of Rounded Upper Back and Forward Head
When you slouch with shoulders forward, the muscles on the upper back and neck overstretch and overwork. When the shoulders slump, the chest muscles shorten, the small muscles between the shoulder blades weaken, and the back muscles stretch and lengthen, which, in turn, increase the tendency to slump. This posture can cause physiological disturbance throughout the body. Over time, the functioning of your spine and your arms are affected; breathing becomes more difficult, and your internal organs are affected. Muscles are responsible for the posture you have now, you must understand that our muscles can be either tight or flexible, strong or weak. It can be any combination of these states, from front to back and side to side. This can contribute to osteopenia, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in the joints and bones. It also puts the shoulder joint at mechanical disadvantage, by moving the collar bone and shoulder blade forward, which leads to a partial tear in supraspinatus tendon or the group of muscles called rotator cuff.
Rotator cuff is a supporting and strengthening structure of the shoulder joint that is made up of part of its capsule blended with tendons of the subscapularis, infraspinatus, supraspinatus and teres minor muscles as they pass to the capsule or across it to insert on the humerus called musculotendinous cuff.
With the decreased space in both the chest and abdominal cavities, the circulatory system cannot nourish and cleanse the abdominal organs efficiently, and constipation can result.
When the head is forward, the normal neck curve becomes flattened. This makes the ligaments taut at first, compressing the vertebrae and limiting motion. As the ligaments become overstretched, instability creates further disc deterioration and reactive bone changes.
Although numerous muscles are involved and affected, the pectoralis minor muscles are responsible for the rounded shoulder posture. As you keep rounding your shoulders, your pectoralis minor muscles become short and tight. As a result, two back muscles, the mid-trapezius and the rhomboids overstretch and grow weak. Smaller muscles that were not designed to be postural muscles have to work hard doing a job they were not meant to do and chronic tension develops in the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Fortunately, you do not have to accept you poor posture (and the physical and psychological pain that go with it.) If approached with patience, persistence, gentleness, and attention to alignment, corrective Yoga exercise will yield excellent results. Through the following exercises, my forward head and stooped shoulder posture have improved so much that I am now more that an inch taller and regularly receive compliments on my posture.
When you slouch with shoulders forward, the muscles on the upper back and neck overstretch and overwork. When the shoulders slump, the chest muscles shorten, the small muscles between the shoulder blades weaken, and the back muscles stretch and lengthen, which, in turn, increase the tendency to slump. This posture can cause physiological disturbance throughout the body. Over time, the functioning of your spine and your arms are affected; breathing becomes more difficult, and your internal organs are affected. Muscles are responsible for the posture you have now, you must understand that our muscles can be either tight or flexible, strong or weak. It can be any combination of these states, from front to back and side to side. This can contribute to osteopenia, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in the joints and bones. It also puts the shoulder joint at mechanical disadvantage, by moving the collar bone and shoulder blade forward, which leads to a partial tear in supraspinatus tendon or the group of muscles called rotator cuff.
Rotator cuff is a supporting and strengthening structure of the shoulder joint that is made up of part of its capsule blended with tendons of the subscapularis, infraspinatus, supraspinatus and teres minor muscles as they pass to the capsule or across it to insert on the humerus called musculotendinous cuff.
With the decreased space in both the chest and abdominal cavities, the circulatory system cannot nourish and cleanse the abdominal organs efficiently, and constipation can result.
When the head is forward, the normal neck curve becomes flattened. This makes the ligaments taut at first, compressing the vertebrae and limiting motion. As the ligaments become overstretched, instability creates further disc deterioration and reactive bone changes.
Although numerous muscles are involved and affected, the pectoralis minor muscles are responsible for the rounded shoulder posture. As you keep rounding your shoulders, your pectoralis minor muscles become short and tight. As a result, two back muscles, the mid-trapezius and the rhomboids overstretch and grow weak. Smaller muscles that were not designed to be postural muscles have to work hard doing a job they were not meant to do and chronic tension develops in the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Fortunately, you do not have to accept you poor posture (and the physical and psychological pain that go with it.) If approached with patience, persistence, gentleness, and attention to alignment, corrective Yoga exercise will yield excellent results. Through the following exercises, my forward head and stooped shoulder posture have improved so much that I am now more that an inch taller and regularly receive compliments on my posture.
Reversing Rounded Shoulder Asanas
Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Arm Raised
Stand erect with your back to the wall and your feet hip with apart. Lean against the wall with your shoulders and buttocks. Make sure that your chest torso is lifted but your lower back is not overarched. Raise your bent arms so that the each upper arm extends along the wall in the shoulder and each elbow is bent ninety degrees. Keeping your elbows and wrist in contract with the wall as long as possible. Do not allow your back to overarch.
Stand erect with your back to the wall and your feet hip with apart. Lean against the wall with your shoulders and buttocks. Make sure that your chest torso is lifted but your lower back is not overarched. Raise your bent arms so that the each upper arm extends along the wall in the shoulder and each elbow is bent ninety degrees. Keeping your elbows and wrist in contract with the wall as long as possible. Do not allow your back to overarch.
Bhujangasana with Ropes (Cobra Pose)
Stand in Tadasana with your back to the wall and feet hip with apart. Now grip the rope firmly, keep your arms straight. Stand erect and walk away from the wall, so that you can feel the stretch of the rope. Inhale, raise your head, make your spine concave, and move your body forward as far as it will go. In order to be able to lean forward diagonally, move you feet few inches back towards the wall.
Raise your head and stand on the ball of your feet and straightening your arms. Keeping your knee and elbow straight, let your palm face each other. Extend your torso further down to get a complete concave movement and look up. Stay for 20 -30 seconds and go back towards the wall. Repeat the pose again few times to feel the benefit.
Stand in Tadasana with your back to the wall and feet hip with apart. Now grip the rope firmly, keep your arms straight. Stand erect and walk away from the wall, so that you can feel the stretch of the rope. Inhale, raise your head, make your spine concave, and move your body forward as far as it will go. In order to be able to lean forward diagonally, move you feet few inches back towards the wall.
Raise your head and stand on the ball of your feet and straightening your arms. Keeping your knee and elbow straight, let your palm face each other. Extend your torso further down to get a complete concave movement and look up. Stay for 20 -30 seconds and go back towards the wall. Repeat the pose again few times to feel the benefit.
Urdhva Dhanurasana with Wall
(Upward Facing Bow Pose)
Lie down on your back with your head facing the wall; bend your knees and place the heels on the sides of the buttocks. Keep two blocks shoulder width apart for your palm to grip and rise upwards.
Press your palms on the blocks and the bottom of your feet evenly on the floor. Exhale, lift your thighs, buttocks, and back from the floor. Push your shoulder blades in and broaden your chest and ribs.
Stay for 20-30 seconds breathing normally. Exhale slowly lower pelvis and bring your thighs, buttocks and back on the floor.
(Upward Facing Bow Pose)
Lie down on your back with your head facing the wall; bend your knees and place the heels on the sides of the buttocks. Keep two blocks shoulder width apart for your palm to grip and rise upwards.
Press your palms on the blocks and the bottom of your feet evenly on the floor. Exhale, lift your thighs, buttocks, and back from the floor. Push your shoulder blades in and broaden your chest and ribs.
Stay for 20-30 seconds breathing normally. Exhale slowly lower pelvis and bring your thighs, buttocks and back on the floor.
Conclusion
You do not have to accept your poor posture - the physical and psychological pain you’re you undergo. If approached with patience, persistence, gentleness, and attention to alignment, corrective Yoga asanas will yield excellent results. Practice your posture with full awareness and adjust all the posture according to your ability or capacity. Make use of all the props available to support and strengthen your posture. Most of all, remember to correct and do all your activities with proper alignment, which becomes part of your life.
You do not have to accept your poor posture - the physical and psychological pain you’re you undergo. If approached with patience, persistence, gentleness, and attention to alignment, corrective Yoga asanas will yield excellent results. Practice your posture with full awareness and adjust all the posture according to your ability or capacity. Make use of all the props available to support and strengthen your posture. Most of all, remember to correct and do all your activities with proper alignment, which becomes part of your life.
