Round Shoulders

A round shoulder is described as an awkward posture that stresses the human shoulder joint. It is generally characterised by both rounding forward and inwards of the shoulders and the extra curvature in the back upper region. When a person remains in this position for long, their muscles and connective tissue become tight and shortened. There are several reasons rounded shoulders develop, all of which are categorised under one major issue: slouching or poor posture. In this article, we will discuss the reasons and symptoms of the rounded shoulder. We will also highlight some of the rounded shoulder exercises that help in treating rounded shoulders and relieving pain.

Causes of rounded shoulders

The main reason rounded shoulders develop is the extended period spent in a position where the joints and muscles in the upper back and neck area are stretched forward.

Here are some of the common reasons for rounded shoulders.

Musculoskeletal compensations

The majority of people usually spend most of their time sitting down. When people sit for long hours in a day, poor sitting posture or rounded shoulder posture can cause their shoulders to round forward.

Psychological stress

When the brain perceives a threat that could either be real or imaginary, the body physically gets prepared to take action against such a threat. Typical reasons include holding one’s breath, tightening the abdomen, tensing the jaw, and rounding the shoulder. Consequently, ongoing psychological stressors like relationship issues, job dissatisfaction, or even family concerns can bring change in the body which leads to round shoulders.

Environmental factors

Some respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergies to air pollutants tend to affect the breath mechanism of human beings along with the ability of the diaphragm to contract and relax by removing tension. Chronic breathing issues lead to rib cage limitation, which would result in the immobility of the thoracic spine and further cause rounded shoulders.

Symptoms of round shoulders

After understanding the major reasons for the round shoulder, let us discuss some of the common symptoms related to the problem of the rounded shoulder.

Pain

The primary symptom felt by human beings having rounded shoulders is pain in the lower back and neck. Improper posture or rounded shoulder posture can lead to disc generation and nerve compression.

Poor health and disease

The issue of the rounded shoulder can affect the body’s respiration, which restricts the blood supply to the body’s inner organs. The diaphragm’s downward movement will massage the liver, thereby bringing the blood supply to other organs of the human body. Therefore, the rounded shoulder’s disruptive nature on respiration will result in several intestinal issues and diseases.

Increased mental stress

The rounded shoulder has been interpreted by the nervous system as stress. When the feeling of stress and unhappiness remains for a long period of time, it would cause fatigue in the body and lead the human body not to cope effectively.

Cures for rounded shoulders

Let us know to discuss some of the rounded shoulder exercises. The self-massage technique seems to be very effective in improving the rounded shoulder posture.

Exercise 1: Handclasp

This self-massage technique will promote the extension in the thoracic spine.

The handclasp stretch is one of the simple exercises helpful in curing the rounded shoulder. Standing up straight with the hand by the sides, an individual reaches their hands behind in order to clasp them together Now, they pull the shoulder back gently and make certain not to allow the neck to push in the forward direction. The shoulders need to be pulled back till the chest opens and the individual can feel the deep stretch. This position is to be held for 30 seconds.

Exercise 2: Tennis ball around the shoulder 

The person needs to lie on the floor, keeping the knees bent and resting on the pillow. Next, they reach one arm across the chest and put the tennis ball beside the shoulder blade of the arm between the shoulder blade and spine. Now, they find the spot and hold it for a few seconds to release the feeling of stress and tension. Furthermore, they move the ball to another spot by scooting the body.

Exercise 3: Shoulder blade squeeze

Shoulder blade squeeze is one of the basic and simple exercises that reminds the body what good posture feels like and helps the human body to remain strengthened and active throughout the day.

Sitting up straight, the individual moves both the shoulder blades together as if trying to hold the tennis ball between them. When it gets flexed, the shoulder needs to be moved down and away from the ears. This posture position needs to be held for 10 seconds and must be repeated 10 times a day for effectively curing the rounded shoulders issue.

Conclusion

When people know about their stress trigger, they can focus on restricting exposure to such situations whenever possible to fix the rounded shoulder problem.

Round shoulders can lead to pain and poor health. There could be various reasons for the rounded shoulders. Some self-massage techniques can help fix the rounded shoulder issues