Why do people have hunchbacks? Can yoga help improve hunchbacks?

Hunchback not only affects one's body image, but also puts a certain amount of pressure on the bones. Some people have severe hunchbacks and a certain bulge on their backs. So why do people have hunchbacks? What yoga moves can improve this?

Why do people hunchback?

The hunchback posture is actually caused by tight pectoralis minor (in a few people, the serratus anterior muscle is too tight), insufficient rhomboid muscles, the shoulder blades are pulled forward of the body, or due to poor back strength, facet joint disorder of the thoracic spine, resulting in excessive convexity of the thoracic spine, which can also induce the hunchback posture.

In addition to bad habits such as playing with mobile phones for a long time, this condition will also occur if a person is often tired or in a bad mood. Of course, there will be no big problems in the short term, but it will induce hunchback in the long run. People who have hunchbacks in their family members have a higher chance of suffering from hunchback.

Because when using a mobile phone, the human body is in a long-term posture of bowing the head and bending over. This posture will cause the muscles in the front of the body to be in a state of centripetal contraction for a long time, resulting in muscle shortening.

The muscles at the back of the body are in a state of long-term eccentric contraction, which will lead to muscle fatigue and weakness, and they will be unable to resist the pull of the muscles in the front of the body, thus causing the body's mechanical balance to be unbalanced.

If things go on like this for a long time, the curvature of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae will change, and the position of the shoulder blades and head will move forward, resulting in round shoulders, hunchbacks, and forward-leaning head postures. This situation may also occur in people who work and study at a desk for a long time.

Can yoga improve hunchback?

Cow Cat Pose

Start with a few rounds of warm-up, stretching your back muscles, gently strengthening, and opening your chest.

Step 1

Lie on all fours on a yoga mat with your shoulders and wrists in line and your hips and knees in line.

Step 2

As you inhale, sink your belly toward the ground while expanding your chest and lifting your tailbone. Emphasize squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Step 3

Exhale as you change position, arching your back and tucking your tailbone in. Draw your chin toward your chest and spread it across your shoulder blades.

Step 4

Alternate between these two poses for 10 rounds, then return to a neutral spine.

Double angle

This standing pose opens the front of the chest and shoulders and strengthens the muscles in the upper back. It also helps to lengthen the entire spine.

Step 1

Stand at the top of your mat with your feet together and your arms at your sides.

Step 2

Draw your shoulders back, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and extend up through the crown of your head.

Step 3

Put your hands together behind your back, keeping your shoulders back and your back straight.

Step 4

Bend your knees slightly. Although this pose will lengthen your hamstrings, you want to focus on your upper body. Especially if you have tight hamstrings, bend your knees.

Step 5

As you exhale, fold forward at the crease of your hips, not at your waist. This helps keep your spine long. Bend your knees as far as you can, keeping your belly pressed against your thighs.

Step 6

Raise your arms as far overhead as possible. Try to keep your elbows straight. Continue to pull your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pull your shoulders away from your head.

Step 7

Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths. Lie flat on your back and stand up, switching your hands and repeating the movement.

Variation: If you can't get your hands behind your back, you can use a towel or yoga strap to compensate. Keep tightening the grip until you can close your hands.

Locust Pose

This supine pose strengthens your entire spine and opens up your chest. Place your hands behind you to emphasize your upper back and deepen the chest stretch.

Step 1

Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides, palms facing down, and your legs together or slightly apart. Rotate your inner thighs toward the mat so your heels are pointing toward the ceiling.

Step 2

As you exhale, lift your legs, shoulders, arms, and chest off the mat. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Step 3

Stay here for 5 to 10 breaths, then relax.

Step 4

In the second round, interlace your fingers behind your back if you can. Broaden your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades. Straighten your arms as far as you can.

Step 5

Exhale as you lift. Remove your hands from your hips if possible. Continue to lengthen the top of your head and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Step 6

Hold for 5 to 10 deep breaths, then relax.

Single-leg seated spinal rotation

Twisting poses encourage lengthening the spine and strengthening the muscles that support the spine to improve posture.

Step 1

Sit on your mat with your legs extended. Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the floor. Interlace your fingers on your right shin just below the knee. Pull with your arms to help you sit up as straight as possible. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Step 2

Release your hands and place your right hand on the mat behind your right hip with your arm straight. Place your left arm just outside your right knee so that your knee presses into your upper arm, just above your elbow.

Step 3

Reach up from overhead, twisting your torso to the right as far as possible, pressing your left arm into your right knee. Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths, then return to center. Repeat on the other side.

What exercises can improve hunchback

If you don't want to have a hunchback, you should do more exercises to strengthen your back muscles. If you already have a hunchback, in addition to back training, you should also massage to eliminate the pain points of the pectoralis minor muscles and stretch the pectoralis minor muscles. There are many exercises to train the back, such as seated pull-downs, seated rowing, dumbbell flyes, etc.

Stretching: You can do wall climbing and wall-holding chest expansion exercises. Each exercise should be performed for 15 to 20 seconds. 4 to 6 times constitute a set, and two sets should be done every day.

These two movements can effectively stretch the rectus abdominis, pectoralis major, and pectoralis minor, returning the spine and shoulder blades to their normal position.

Activation: You can do wall standing and head yoga strap confrontation exercises. Each movement should be performed for two minutes each time. 4 to 6 times is a set, and two sets should be done per day.

These two actions can effectively activate the weak muscles in the back of the neck, shoulders and back, rejuvenate them, and pull the head and spine back to their normal position.