This client had been self-conscious about her hunched posture for over 30 years! She didn’t like her reflection in the mirror or shop windows and avoided certain types of clothing because of how she looked.

When I assessed her posture, I noticed her upper back, head, and shoulders were rounding forward. But that wasn’t the whole story.

What else do you notice in her posture?

Can you see how her hips were leaning forward from her ankles? This was contributing to her upper body’s forward hunch.

To help her change the area she disliked (her upper body), we also needed to focus on her hips. This approach would yield better results.

It might seem odd to work on the hips when someone wants to improve their upper body, but I’ve found that to tackle the root cause of a posture problem, you have to look at how the whole body functions.

Generic exercises wouldn’t be enough. I introduced her to several posture correction exercises specifically chosen for her. These exercises matched her strength levels and were simple enough to do at home without any equipment. Plus, they were short enough to fit into her daily routine.

We met about ten times in total. Initially, we met weekly, but we gradually spaced out our sessions. During these follow-ups, I ensured she was doing the exercises correctly and introduced more advanced exercises as she progressed.

You can see her progress in the photos below.

Not only did this make her look better, but it also helped her move, breathe, and feel better overall. While it’s not perfect (nobody is), it was enough to change how she felt about her body after 30 years.

In her own words, “I feel straighter, taller, and much more confident in myself – and happier too.”

Clients who have struggled with posture issues for a long time often wonder if things can get better. Her example is a wonderful demonstration that they absolutely can.