[hawki1989]

I have recently joined a gym, to which it has become glaringly obvious that I have terrible posture; I've known it for a while really but losing weight has made it more noticeable. It's gotten to the point where I regularly have backache and need to press my back up against walls to 'reset' it - plus my shoulders and upper back make terrible clicking noises.

I went to see a chiropractor in the hopes of getting a solution, or rather having me spend a bit of money for them to manipulate my back into place. I was told that it would be £50 p/h for some "gentle manipulation and a programme of sports stretches". I figured if he's just going to give me stretches, there must be a way for me to go about doing it myself?

Has anyone dealt with or overcome posture problems to the point of 'clicking' or backache? Does anyone have any sensible suggestions on how I can go about fixing it?

[The Blind Monk]

I can't comment on the specifics of your case but here are a few things that help most people:
1) Doorway stretch for the chest (try and keep your shoulders pinched together while trying to put your shoulderblades into your back jean pockets)
2) Upper back work e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K1L72HeeKI (keep shoulderblades down and pinched together)
3) Stretch your hip flexors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o0KNU4WAG0 (try and keep your hips square and make sure you're flexing your buttcheeks)
4) Stretch your piriformis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZ517Rw7ME
5) Thoracic extension: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBOwQ0y7og and also possibly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBOwQ0y7og

This list is of course not exhaustive, but it should help you a bit. Buying a foam roller is probably worth it (for this and a variety of other purposes. Make sure you do not buy a white one under any circumstances.)

[tooosh]

What posture problems? Weight training improved my posture a hell of a lot, though it wasn't bad to begin with. Squats help to get rid of upper back slouching for example. If your shoulders are clicking, you'll probably want to take it really slow on the weight though.

[hawki1989]

Thanks for the advice

My head is forward a lot and my shoulders hunch; the clicking is a more of a cosmetic issue. Even when I'm 'standing up straight', I'm pretty sure I'm not straight up-right!

I read that pilates is good too, but wasn't sure?

[blueray]

(Original post by hawki1989)
Thanks for the advice

My head is forward a lot and my shoulders hunch; the clicking is a more of a cosmetic issue. Even when I'm 'standing up straight', I'm pretty sure I'm not straight up-right!

I read that pilates is good too, but wasn't sure?

Just stretch up to the sky and it will pull your spine a bit, gets every hunched back sorted

[tooosh]

(Original post by hawki1989)
Thanks for the advice

My head is forward a lot and my shoulders hunch; the clicking is a more of a cosmetic issue. Even when I'm 'standing up straight', I'm pretty sure I'm not straight up-right!

I read that pilates is good too, but wasn't sure?

Pilates can be good, but quite a lot of the stretches aren't physically demanding at all and are made for middle aged women looking with no discipline looking for the easy way out. Look up pilates moves rugby players and the like do. Yoga stretches will help as well, but it's more about what in particular is being stretched than what moves you're doing.

[hawki1989]

Thanks all

[Wild@Heart]

My mum says I have naturally bad posture, and that I tend to slouch when walking and I don't put my shoulders back. I've tried doing yoga on the Wii fit - I'm not sure if it's helping, but I love it when it says "your posture's fantastic!" The tree pose is particularly good for stretching your spine. Either way, now that I have been told I have bad posture, I am more self aware so when I go out I try to put my shoulders back more and hold my held up high. If I do this enough, eventually it might just become automatic.

[Mazzini]

Try the Alexander Technique, it's about releasing muscular tension and it's great for back- and neck-ache. No manipulation involved & it should be less than £50.

I think you can find a teacher near you on the website below:

http://www.stat.org.uk/

[HFerguson]

Yknow what creates great thoracic extension and retracted shoulder girdles? heavy ass front squats, face pulls, and rows.

Poor posture is more down to bad habits and weak muscles than tight muscles that need stretching. Stretching alone isn't going to fix ****ty posture. You need to strengthen the weak muscles that are supposed to hold you upright, strengthening these muscles will lead to subconscious better posture. Best thing for protracted shoulder girdles is scapular-retractor work (face pulls, slow controlled rows) and front squats for thoracic extension. But of course nobody reading this is going to damage their perfectly manicured ego by getting in the rack and squatting ****ing heavy.