One of our Physical Therapists, Danielle Weis, PT, DPT, OCS, was interviewed by Well+Good to discuss the best stretches to soothe swayback posture.

She’s quoted saying:

“It’s (swayback) a type of back posture where your pelvis is shifted forward and rotated slightly backward with excessive rounding in the mid-back and upper part of the lumbar spine.”

“Swayback can be painful because this posture positions the spine and pelvis in a suboptimal alignment. It throws off the body’s center of gravity, which makes it more difficult for the spinal and gluteal muscles to activate, support, and function. This position also creates tightness and restriction in muscles, including the hamstrings, chest, and anterior neck muscles. Over time, it can also causes stiffness to form between the vertebral segments throughout the spine, which can cause neck, upper, mid, and lower back pain, as well as hip and knee pain.”

“Think about setting your shoulders down and back, keeping your ears over your shoulders, and bringing those forward-set hips backward. Aim to activate the core to provide back support,”

The best stretches to correct or enhance swayback posture are:

  1. Pec Stretch
  2. Hamstring Stretch
  3. Thoracic Extension Stretch

View the original piece placement on Well+Good