Have you ever noticed that the back of your neck has a little hump when you look in the mirror or at a picture of yourself?
The term ‘dowager’s hump’ refers to this bump, and it is very typical.
Now the questions are:
What causes hump on the back of your neck? How to fix a neck hump? What is the fastest way to get rid of the hump on the back?
Well, here I am going to outline neck exercises that you can use every day to assist in reducing the size of your dowager’s hump.
Let’s start!
An Overview of Dowager’s Hump
The medical term used for this condition is ‘Kyphosis’. This condition characterises the formation of rounded hunch at the base of your neck.
Chronic forward-leaning posture is typically the cause of kyphosis. This can eventually lead to the development of a tissue mass at the base of your neck and a bend in the upper spine bones.
What’s more? The literal meaning of ‘dowager’ is ‘respectable old widow’. This is due to the fact that the neck hump used to just be an issue for elderly women whose spines naturally age. But regrettably, younger people are becoming more and more susceptible to it.
Why is it so? And what causes neck hump?
In actuality, poor posture and not age, sex, or widowhood – is the primary contributor to dowager hump. Whether you are young, elderly, male, or female, as long as you consistently have improper posture, you could acquire a dowager’s hump. And that hump will undoubtedly give you an older appearance. You learn more about the importance of posture on your health.
If you don’t sit properly in front of your laptop or computer or lean forward when using your phone, your neck muscles may begin to behave differently and your shoulders may hunch forward, forming the curved hump that is associated with the neck hump.
Some other possible causes of neck hump may be:
- Osteoporosis
- Congenital problem
- Scheuermann’s kyphosis
Neck Hump Exercises
Even though the neck hump does no harm once it manifests, AGEING is a very nice tale it tells about what is happening to your spine beneath the muscles and skin.
Long-term tension on the spine that results in the Dowager’s Hump will speed up ageing and could lead to other issues as you age (slipped discs, nerve compression, muscle imbalances).
Here are three stretches for how to fix neck hump that you may perform every day to improve your mid-range back’s of motion and strengthen your spine to stop the hump from growing worse!
1- Shoulder Rolls
This can be done anytime, anywhere, and it’s simple. By letting go of tension in the front and rear of the shoulders, this neck hump exercise helps to align your shoulders and improve your posture.
How to do shoulder rolls?
- Start by being upright and keeping your arms at your sides while standing or sitting.
- After that, roll your shoulders 12 times in each direction, both forward and backward.
- Take a brief rest and repeat the cycle three more times.
2- Chin Tucks
Another simple stretching exercise for how to fix neck hump is chin tucks, which work on the muscle at the front of your neck while stretching the muscle at the rear of your neck.
What’s best about this exercise? You can easily perform it while watching TV as follows:
- Lower your chin and press it into your neck (consider giving yourself a double chin).
- Then, raise it back up.
- Make repetition 12 times, take a little break, and then repeat three more times.
3- Chin-to-Shoulder Stretches
Here’s another one of the neck hump exercises that you can perform while unwinding on the couch.
How to perform it?
- Twist your neck over to the side and down till your chin almost touches your shoulder, then move your neck back to the middle.
- Do one side at a time for 12 repetitions, rest for three, then repeat.
- Do the same for the other side.
By doing these stretches, you’ll help stretch the muscles in your neck and trapezius, which are located at the base of your neck and above your shoulders, and assist in realigning your neck.
4- Cat Pose
Who isn’t aware of the health benefits of yoga? And those performing yoga, cat posture will be quite recognizable to them. This yoga pose helps you become more upright by stretching out your chest and relieving back stiffness.
How to perform cat pose?
- Start by getting on your knees to perform it.
- On an out-breath, round your back up toward the ceiling, tuck your tailbone under, and lower your head. At the same time, press your palms down.
- Hold for a brief while, then repeat 12 times.
- When you’ve finished 12, take a quick break and carry out the procedure three more times.
5- Wall Extension Stretches
One of the other neck hump exercises involve wall extension stretches. To perform this:
- Touch the wall with both hands.
- Hinge your hips backward while maintaining a straight back, then lower your chest to the floor gradually.
- Avoid letting your head droop toward the ground. Maintain it tucked in, parallel to your spine. Also your mid back and chest should feel stretched.
- This will loosen up your chest muscles and mobilise your midback’s rigid spine.
- Make 10 repetitions.
6- Pec Stretch
How to get rid of neck hump with pec stretch?
- While standing diagonally facing a wall, place your forearm and elbow such that your elbow is at chest level.
- Rotate your body away from the wall while keeping your arm on it until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 30 seconds and make 4-5 repetitions.
- Perform the same on the other side.
7- Diagonal Band Stretch
It promotes thoracic extension and straightens rounded backs. This will be felt in the middle of your back, exactly where you need more support. Also, this three-directional exercise can help you build stronger back and shoulder muscles when done correctly and regularly.
Now, let’s see how to do it:
- Stretch your band diagonally with your hands facing the other way while you hold either end.
- After changing directions, stretch the band across your chest horizontally to complete the movement.
- Keep your thumbs up, relax your neck, and push your shoulder blades together while you pull on the band.
Hospitals Offering the Best Treatment for Hump on Neck
Wrapping Up!
Now, when we have seen the neck exercises to get rid of the neck hump, we can say, they don’t require much time. And if you practise them often, you’ll experience less discomfort, have more energy, and generally feel better.
Just remember that results take time to appear. Over the coming weeks and months, you should start to notice some changes in your posture, but they won’t happen immediately.
You can also contact physiotherapists to get full training on how to perform these activities properly. For that you can get your appointment fixed via Healthwire with the best physiotherapists in town.