Rounded shoulders are a posture problem that that plagues many people. And people with rolled over shoulders may sometimes have other posture issues, such as bad forward head posture or an anterior pelvic tilt. Unfortunately however, out of all of the posture abnormalities rolled shoulders is easily the most noticeable.
People with rounded shoulders will often have a hunched, rolled over appearance to their shoulders, and their entire body will generally be curled forward like a giant leaf. This is obviously not the most aesthetically pleasing way for the body to look.
But the good news is that this condition is easily fixable and can also be easily prevented with the right habits in place.
Keep reading for a detailed guide on how to go about fixing this posture abnormality in the causes and preventions of it.
What causes rounded shoulders?
Rounded shoulders can be caused by a few different things. But by far the 3 most common are:
Incorrect bodybuilding
Improper training of certain parts of the body can often times cause a rolled shoulder look. Many people do bicep curls and bench presses but fail to work out the muscles in their back. Over time this will lead to the muscles in the front of your body pulling your shoulders forward, which will cause a hunched and rolled over appearance.
Poor upper body posture
Poor upper body posture is generally caused by sitting for long periods of time hunched over a desk. Generally people who have office jobs will spend eight hours or more in this position and their bodies will become accustomed to this forward, slouched over position.
Kyphosis
Kyphosis is a spinal disorder where the spine becomes rounded. Kyphosis is generally caused by a genetic disorder of the bones. Most people with kyphosis will have other family members who have the disorder. Many people with kyphosis suffer from prolonged chronic back pain.
Since people with kyphosis have a rounded spine that causes their back to curve inward, rounded shoulders are often times a side effect from this.
Tips To Fix Rounded Shoulders
To start, focusing on maintaining good posture while you’re at your desk or purchasing an ergonomic chair can be highly beneficial to your posture.
However, there are also some exercises you can do to help strengthen your upper back muscles. Strengthening your upper back muscles will make it much easier to prevent a re occurrence of this abnormality in the future.
Lat/Pec Rolling
You’ll need a foam roller for this. Start by laying a foam roller down on the floor and lower your body sideways onto it so that the top of your lats are touching the roller. Lift your body up and keep as much weight on your lats as possible. Continuously roll between your armpit and your hips.
The idea behind this is to release the tension in your lats. Search for knotted up bunches of muscles while you’re doing this. Once you find one, try staying on top of it for around 30 seconds. This will allow the tension to be released.
You can also do the same exercise for your pectoral muscles. Lie face down with your chest on top of the foam roller and continuously roll back and forth. Just as you did with your lat muscles, look for knotted up or tense areas of your pectoral muscles.
Doorway/Column Stretches
Find a column or use a hanging strap for this one. Stand with the strap at your side. Reach up and grab the strap at a high angle. Slowly turn your body away from the strap. This will help push your shoulder back and stretch the pictorial muscle at the same time.
If you can’t feel anything in chest as you do this, try adjusting your grip up or down until you can.
You can also do this by facing the opposite direction but you will need a vertical column for this one. Face the column and put your arms palms down with one on top of another. Push into it and lean to the side at the same time. Switch and do the same for your other side.
Resistance Band Rotations
You’ll need some resistance bands for this exercise.
Begin by wrapping the resistance band around a bar or column. Stand sideways so that your shoulder is facing the bar. Grab the bottom part of the resistance band with your closer hand, and lock the elbow of your other arm at your side. Pull the band with your arm while your elbow stays locked against your side. Exhale as you rotate out to your side.
This will help strengthen the muscles on your back, which in turn will open the shoulders up and pull them back out.
T Raises
This is a great exercise for strengthening your trapezius muscles. These muscles rest below your shoulder blades and are vital and helping to keep your shoulders pulled back.
You will need 2 very light (1-5lbs) dumbbells for this. Lie face down on a bench and raise your arms up to about a 90° angle. Keep your chest tense, and move your arms up as far as it will go, and focus on exhaling as you raise them. You should feel the muscles in your back getting a workout.
Further Reading
Using the exercises in this guide should get you well on your way to a better posture. You may also want to consider purchasing an upper back brace to act as a daily reminder to keep your body straight. Posture correctors, for instance, are shoulder braces that wear around your upper back which can help reposition the shoulders. Take a look at our guide here to find out more.
