Are you bothered by the appearance of rounded shoulders when you look in the mirror? Are you tired of having family members tell you to correct your posture when you walk into a room? Or perhaps you’ve noticed the postural concern on your teenager or someone else in your household? Whatever the case may be you’ve decided that it’s time for physiotherapy intervention. You’ve made the right choice. But before you book your first appointment, here are some important things to know.
What You Need to Know About Correcting Rounded Shoulders Through Physiotherapy
What Causes Rounded Shoulders
Poor posture is the primary culprit, as the shoulders lose proper alignment with the spine. However, it may also be the result of muscle imbalances that can come from excessive concentration on one type of movement or activity. For instance, it is common to see rounded shoulders in individuals in a gym environment who place too much focus on chest strength while neglecting their upper back. That said, everything from persistently slouching in a chair to texting with bad posture (increasingly common) over time will develop into rounded shoulders.
Note: Rounded shoulders being discussed today is different that congenital kyphosis, which is a physical condition that someone is born with, where rounded shoulders are the primary symptom.
More Than a Bad Look
Most people want to correct rounded shoulders because they don’t like the look. However, there are larger concerns that span beyond aesthetics. Rounded shoulders and the correlated comprised position of the spine can lead to pain, discomfort, disc generation, and nerve compression. In addition, studies have shown that rounded shoulders can contribute to tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness, issues with breathing, and more.
Physiotherapy Interventions for Rounded Shoulders
While your (or those of a loved on) rounded shoulders may have been the result of years of poor posture and/or muscle imbalances, you may gain peace of mind that it can corrected in a much shorter time. Physiotherapy intervention is the key. In the same manner that muscles and joints have been “trained” to hunch forward, they can be “retrained” to settle into and maintain the correct position. Your therapist will create an individualized exercise program that considers the extent of postural problems along with your specific daily activities (work, workouts, leisure, etc.) that may contribute to the issue. Your regime will include in-clinic massage therapy and myofascial release along with movements, stretches, and exercises that you can complete at home, in the office, and wherever and whenever you feel inspired. Together with a physiotherapist you can walk (and sit) with correct posture and most importantly – confidence!