If you take a closer look at your surroundings, you will quickly notice that many people - yes, even ourselves - generally have anything but an upright, straight posture that looks fit and healthy. The head usually hangs forward and the shoulders are slightly pulled forward. The upper back looks more like a hump.
In the past, this type of hunchback (medically known as kyphosis) was mainly seen in older people. Today, many young adults and children have a hunchback.
The hunchback, also known as a "hunchback" or "dowager's hump", is one of the most common posture problems. In most cases it is caused by poor posture and a lack of exercise, and this then leads to the spine becoming bent between the neck and upper back at shoulder level and causing problems (including severe back pain).
If poor posture is the sole cause of the hunchback, you can train away the "dowager's hump" with lots of movement and targeted exercises. In this article, we'll show you which exercises really work and what else you can do to avoid a hunchback or to get your spine back in shape.
Rheumatic diseases of the joint and spinal system (e.g. Bechterew's disease, arthritis and polyarthritis)
Scheuermann's disease, a growth disorder of the spine in adolescents
Osteoporosis (especially in older people). This bone disease can cause the back to become deformed due to vertebral fractures.
Trauma caused by accidents and other violent impacts in the area of the thoracic spine
Tumor diseases of the skeletal system
The most common causes of a hunchback are not “hard” medical reasons, but simply a lack of exercise and poor posture .
We all move too little or in a one-sided way. We sit at our desks, on our cell phones or in the car all day in a rigid, forward-leaning position.
This forward leaning posture leads to muscle tension. The muscles in the front chest and stomach area shorten, while the shoulder and back muscles lengthen and tense. Doctors refer to this as muscular imbalance, i.e. an imbalance in muscle strength.
Over time, this poor posture leads to changes in the vertebral bodies and damage to the intervertebral discs. All of this ultimately leads to a hunchback forming over time.
Typical symptoms are:
Back pain
Sore arms and legs
Numbness in the arms and legs as well as in the buttocks
Forward and raised shoulders
Stiff neck
Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
Deformations of the upper body
Reduced height
Digestive problems
Limited mobility
sleep disorders
Disorders of bladder or bowel function
Swallowing problems
The symptoms sometimes only appear after years. Until then, the body tries to compensate for the poor posture.
There are also many other signs that a hunchback has developed. Also pay attention to whether your larynx is positioned unusually far forward . This happens because of the forward-stretched head position when you have a hunchback.
Or watch what happens to your arms and hands when you simply let them hang straight down at your sides. If you are healthy, your arms and hands rotate inwards. If you have a hunched back, your forearms and the back of your hands automatically rotate forwards.
You can also bend over and have someone check whether your back is evenly rounded or not. With a hunchback, there is a bulge where the curvature is.
However, if you have back problems, it is best to see an orthopedic doctor. He can easily determine whether you really have a hunchback and what the extent of the problem is.
In severe cases, only comprehensive therapy with physiotherapy exercises, breathing exercises, orthoses and more can help. Often, only the acute symptoms can be alleviated. The deformity often cannot be completely reversed.
If you have a slight hunchback that has arisen due to a lack of exercise and poor posture, you can train the hunchback away or stop the disease from progressing with targeted muscle training and the right stretching exercises.
Effective exercises for chest and back muscles
Here you will find the best exercises that specifically strengthen your back and chest muscles. This improves your posture and stabilizes your spine:
Exercise 1:
Breathe in deeply and push your chest forward. Pull your shoulder back and lower your chin so that you are looking straight ahead. Hold the position for at least 20 seconds and breathe in and out deeply at regular intervals. Repeat this exercise 5-6 times.
Exercise 2:
Lean your back against a wall. Your upper back is completely against the wall. Move your arms upwards and press your elbows against the wall. From the stretched position, slowly pull your arms back down along the wall.
Pull your elbows down as far as possible and make sure they touch the wall throughout the movement. Do 15-20 repetitions of this and 3-4 sets. Take a short break between each set.
Exercise 3:
Lean one forearm against a wall. The bent elbow should be slightly above shoulder height. Now turn your upper body in the opposite direction until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds. Perform a total of 3-4 repetitions per side.
Exercise 4:
Lie flat on your back on a mat and place a small roller (e.g. fascia roller) on your upper back, approximately in the middle under your thoracic spine.
Then roll up and down a little and pause at the point where you feel the most tension. Fold your arms under your head and breathe in and out deeply. Stay in this position for about 2 minutes - or longer if you like - and then very slowly come out of the stretch.
It is important that you do the exercises regularly to achieve positive effects (at least twice a week). You can see initial success after just four to six weeks. It is very important to keep going even if the symptoms subside. Long breaks from training can lead to relapses.
Another important factor in preventing a hunchback or training it away is exercise. However, not all sports are equally suitable.
Well suited are for example:
Pilates and Yoga
To swim
Climb
rowing
Nordic Walking
Jogging should be avoided. The shock load and the curvature of the spine mean that the intervertebral discs are subjected to a great deal of strain, which can lead to a slipped disc. Running is also not a good start for those who are not in shape, as the joints and tendons suffer from the shock load.
Cycling does not make your posture worse, but at the same time it is not an anti-hunchback exercise. Why not? It's simple: cycling is not a pulling exercise, not a strengthening exercise that can balance out your muscular imbalances.
You can also do your back good by adopting healthy sitting habits. We all generally sit for far too long, around 11-12 hours a day (when working, in front of the laptop or cell phone, eating, watching TV, in the car, etc.).
That's why it's smart to incorporate as much movement as possible into your daily sitting routine. Aeris' active chairs, such as the Aeris Swopper , the Aeris 3Dee or Aeris Numo Task, can provide good support here, as they have 3D technology that ensures more than twice as much movement while sitting than conventional office chairs.
And that is good for the intervertebral discs and also trains the muscles, especially the back muscles, which in turn stabilizes the spine.
So if you continuously move your seated posture using active office chairs, you will also prevent poor posture and postural damage such as a hunched back.
In the past, this type of hunchback (medically known as kyphosis) was mainly seen in older people. Today, many young adults and children have a hunchback.
The hunchback, also known as a "hunchback" or "dowager's hump", is one of the most common posture problems. In most cases it is caused by poor posture and a lack of exercise, and this then leads to the spine becoming bent between the neck and upper back at shoulder level and causing problems (including severe back pain).
If poor posture is the sole cause of the hunchback, you can train away the "dowager's hump" with lots of movement and targeted exercises. In this article, we'll show you which exercises really work and what else you can do to avoid a hunchback or to get your spine back in shape.
What exactly is kyphosis – a hunchback?
Kyphosis refers to a thoracic spine that is bent backwards. A slight curvature of the spine is completely normal and even important for a healthy posture (physiological kyphosis). However, if the curvature is more than 40 degrees, it is called hyperkyphosis , colloquially known as a hunchback or humpback . Most of the time, however, the two terms kyphosis and hyperkyphosis are used synonymously and in both cases refer to the pathological change in the upper back.
How does a hunchback develop?
There are various reasons for the development of kyphosis. Sometimes a hunchback is the result of serious illnesses, such as:The most common causes of a hunchback are not “hard” medical reasons, but simply a lack of exercise and poor posture .
We all move too little or in a one-sided way. We sit at our desks, on our cell phones or in the car all day in a rigid, forward-leaning position.
This forward leaning posture leads to muscle tension. The muscles in the front chest and stomach area shorten, while the shoulder and back muscles lengthen and tense. Doctors refer to this as muscular imbalance, i.e. an imbalance in muscle strength.
Over time, this poor posture leads to changes in the vertebral bodies and damage to the intervertebral discs. All of this ultimately leads to a hunchback forming over time.
What symptoms does a hunched back cause?
The symptoms of a hunchback can vary from mild to severe. In most cases, physical pain occurs. However, the visual defect often represents an enormous psychological burden and can lead to depression.Typical symptoms are:
The symptoms sometimes only appear after years. Until then, the body tries to compensate for the poor posture.
The home test: Do I have a hunchback?
You can easily test yourself to see if you have a hunchback. Lean your back against a wall. The back of your head, your upper back, your buttocks and your heels should all touch the wall at the same time. If you notice that the back of your head is not in contact with the wall, you may have a hunchback.There are also many other signs that a hunchback has developed. Also pay attention to whether your larynx is positioned unusually far forward . This happens because of the forward-stretched head position when you have a hunchback.
Or watch what happens to your arms and hands when you simply let them hang straight down at your sides. If you are healthy, your arms and hands rotate inwards. If you have a hunched back, your forearms and the back of your hands automatically rotate forwards.
You can also bend over and have someone check whether your back is evenly rounded or not. With a hunchback, there is a bulge where the curvature is.
However, if you have back problems, it is best to see an orthopedic doctor. He can easily determine whether you really have a hunchback and what the extent of the problem is.
How do you straighten your back again?
What can be done for kyphosis depends entirely on the cause, severity, age and symptoms.In severe cases, only comprehensive therapy with physiotherapy exercises, breathing exercises, orthoses and more can help. Often, only the acute symptoms can be alleviated. The deformity often cannot be completely reversed.
If you have a slight hunchback that has arisen due to a lack of exercise and poor posture, you can train the hunchback away or stop the disease from progressing with targeted muscle training and the right stretching exercises.
Effective exercises for chest and back muscles
Here you will find the best exercises that specifically strengthen your back and chest muscles. This improves your posture and stabilizes your spine:
Exercise 1:
Breathe in deeply and push your chest forward. Pull your shoulder back and lower your chin so that you are looking straight ahead. Hold the position for at least 20 seconds and breathe in and out deeply at regular intervals. Repeat this exercise 5-6 times.
Exercise 2:
Lean your back against a wall. Your upper back is completely against the wall. Move your arms upwards and press your elbows against the wall. From the stretched position, slowly pull your arms back down along the wall.
Pull your elbows down as far as possible and make sure they touch the wall throughout the movement. Do 15-20 repetitions of this and 3-4 sets. Take a short break between each set.
Exercise 3:
Lean one forearm against a wall. The bent elbow should be slightly above shoulder height. Now turn your upper body in the opposite direction until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds. Perform a total of 3-4 repetitions per side.
Exercise 4:
Lie flat on your back on a mat and place a small roller (e.g. fascia roller) on your upper back, approximately in the middle under your thoracic spine.
Then roll up and down a little and pause at the point where you feel the most tension. Fold your arms under your head and breathe in and out deeply. Stay in this position for about 2 minutes - or longer if you like - and then very slowly come out of the stretch.
It is important that you do the exercises regularly to achieve positive effects (at least twice a week). You can see initial success after just four to six weeks. It is very important to keep going even if the symptoms subside. Long breaks from training can lead to relapses.
Another tip: Lie on your stomach when reading, as this stretches your thoracic spine and prevents you from falling forward again.
Another important factor in preventing a hunchback or training it away is exercise. However, not all sports are equally suitable.
Well suited are for example:
Jogging should be avoided. The shock load and the curvature of the spine mean that the intervertebral discs are subjected to a great deal of strain, which can lead to a slipped disc. Running is also not a good start for those who are not in shape, as the joints and tendons suffer from the shock load.
Cycling does not make your posture worse, but at the same time it is not an anti-hunchback exercise. Why not? It's simple: cycling is not a pulling exercise, not a strengthening exercise that can balance out your muscular imbalances.
You can also do your back good by adopting healthy sitting habits. We all generally sit for far too long, around 11-12 hours a day (when working, in front of the laptop or cell phone, eating, watching TV, in the car, etc.).
That's why it's smart to incorporate as much movement as possible into your daily sitting routine. Aeris' active chairs, such as the Aeris Swopper , the Aeris 3Dee or Aeris Numo Task, can provide good support here, as they have 3D technology that ensures more than twice as much movement while sitting than conventional office chairs.
And that is good for the intervertebral discs and also trains the muscles, especially the back muscles, which in turn stabilizes the spine.
So if you continuously move your seated posture using active office chairs, you will also prevent poor posture and postural damage such as a hunched back.
Disclaimer: Please note that we are not doctors and do not offer medical advice. The content in this article is for general information purposes only and cannot replace a specialist diagnosis and treatment. If you have any doubts or questions, always consult your doctor.
