Dowager’s Hump Exercises/Stretches You Need to Try At Home!

 

Dowager’s Hump, also known by the names of buffalo hump, neck hump, and kyphosis, is an inflated, forward-rounding of the back that results in a hump-like appearance in the upper back area. This condition, in which fatty tissues develop around the spine to protect it from excessive pressure, can happen to anyone at any age. 

Sometimes, a Dowager’s Hump can occur with severe medical issues. Doctors suggest that the number one cause of a Dowager’s Hump is poor or faulty posture with a forward bend. A Dowager’s Hump tends to weaken the upper back muscles and cause a hump down the base of your neck, which can be pretty uncomfortable. 

Thankfully, Dowager’s Hump is reversible to some extent or completely when you do the right exercises and combine it with a better posture. In this guide, we look at a few effective and simple Dowager’s Hump exercises and stretches that people can routinely do at home to reverse or cure it. 

 

Dowager’s Hump Exercises and Stretches You Can Do At Home

1. YWTL Stretches

The purpose of the YWTL stretches is to lengthen the entire thoracic spine. Here is how the YWTL stretches work:

 

• Y – You begin by taking both your arms in the air while facing your palms forward. While keeping your elbows straight, slowly pull your arms backward. Then hold this position for at least 30 seconds. 
• W – Starting from the Y position, move your arms down slowly to form a W. Pull your arms backward and take note that your elbows should be pointing down to the ground. Then pull your arms back again and keep holding for 30 seconds.
• T – Starting from the W position, slowly spread your arms with your palms facing forward and elbows extended. Then pull your arms back and hold it for 30 seconds.
• L – Starting from the T position, pull both arms in with elbows on the side and then pull them back again.

If you wish to take things up a notch and give yourself a bit of a challenge, try repeating each of these positions 3 times.

 

2. Doorway Pec Stretch

People who have a forward head posture will most likely suffer from rounded shoulders, which often leads to tight pectorals.

 

The Doorway Pec stretch can help your tight shoulder and chest muscles, enhance your posture, and provide relief from pressure on your cervical spine. This is how the Doorway Pec stretch goes:

1. Place hands on the side of your doorway.
2. Lunge forward and keep lunging till you finally feel a stretch forming across your shoulders and chest.
3. Keep hold of the position for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat the same thing 3x.

 

3. Bridge

The bridge is a great core-strengthening exercise that really helps your abdominal muscles and Dowager’s Hump. You can do the bridge at home easily without any specific exercise equipment.

 

 

This particular exercise requires keeping your spine in a neutral position as you lie down on your back. Here is how you can do this exercise.

• Tighten the muscles of your stomach and slowly lift your hips upwards off the floor.
• Keep your shoulders and feet flat on the floor.
• Hold this position while counting to 3, and then relax and let go. 
• You can repeat this exercise 3 times daily.

 

4. Abdominal Press

 

 

A few people with postural kyphosis or Dowager’s Hump might profoundly benefit and be relieved of pain by simply strengthening their abdominal muscles. Specific exercises such as the abdominal press can correct the Dowager’s Hump to some extent over time. Here’s how you can do it:

• Lie down against your back while keeping your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
• Keep your back in a neutral and relaxed position.
• Tighten the stomach muscles and gently raise either of your legs so that the ankle of the lifted leg is at an approximate level with your other knee.
• Place your hand on the extended leg’s knee and press down on it.
• Keep your abdominals tense. Use this tension to fight your hand’s pressure to keep your lifted knee steady and intact.
• Hold this position while counting to three. Let go and relax.

 

Pair it with Chiropractic Care

While these stretches and exercises can be effective to quite an extent in reducing a Dowager’s Hump, you should also consider pairing them with chiropractic care. Chiropractors can work with you directly in minimizing or eliminating the neck hump or Dowager’s Hump via a customized treatment plan. 

 

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