“I just don’t like how I look.”

That’s what so many of my clients tell me when they first walk through the door. They’re not in pain — yet. They’re here because their posture is bothering them.

Some say it’s been like this since they were a teenager. Others remember being told to stand up straight since they were kids. A few were the tall one in school and started slouching to fit in.

Some women say they developed early and rounded their shoulders to hide. Others say they were just shy, and tried to disappear into themselves. Over the years, it slowly became their normal.

When Posture Starts to Affect How You Feel About Yourself

Many people say it hits them in photos — especially the unposed ones. Or they catch sight of themselves in a shop window and don’t like what they see.

They describe looking hunched, slouched and tense. Like their head’s jutting forward. Like they look older than they are — or like someone carrying stress, even when they’re not.

Some say it’s constant. Others say it creeps up when they’re walking or sitting and suddenly remember, “I’m slouching again.”

And almost all of them share the same fear:

“What if I end up like that hunched old man or woman I see on the street?”

They’re not alone.

How Poor Posture Actually Changes How You Look

Here’s what’s happening under the surface:

Your body adapts to how you use it. If you sit slouched all day, or move in a way that favours one side, your muscles will adapt to that. Some tighten up, while others switch off.

Over time, those small shifts change how you look.

The most common posture patterns I see are rounded shoulders, head poking forward, upper back hunching (kyphosis), pelvis tilting – which can cause a big arch in the lower back (lordosis), and the belly to hang forward

All of this affects how tall you appear, how your clothes fit, how confident you seem and how you carry yourself in a room.

It can also make you look older, stiffer, or more “closed off” than you actually are.

Is It Just About Looks?

Not at all. Feeling good in your body — how it looks and feels — matters.

Posture is part of your body language. It affects how you see yourself and how others see you.

I’ve worked with people getting ready for weddings, photoshoots, holidays, big work presentations. I’ve worked with people who just want to walk into a room without shrinking or slouching.

They weren’t chasing perfection. They just wanted to feel proud of how they moved through the world.

So What Can You Actually Do About It?

Here’s the good news: posture can change.

Not by yanking your shoulders back or forcing yourself to “sit up straight.” That often just adds more tension.

Instead, we restore posture by giving your body what it’s missing: releasing overworked muscles, re-activating underused muscles, and realigning the joints so your body works with gravity, not against it.

It doesn’t take hours, just a few key posture exercises each day, done consistently, can create powerful change.

You’re Not Doomed to End Up Hunched

Some clients come in saying, “My mum/gran/dad is really hunched… I don’t want to end up like that.”

That fear is real, but you’re not stuck.

Remember, you don’t need “perfect” posture. You just need enough change to feel more upright, more open, more like you.

Take care — and keep going. Your body can change.

Want to try something right now that helps most of my clients feel straighter and more grounded — in minutes? [Here’s one of my favourite posture correction exercises.]

 

Written by Ameet Bhakta
Posture Specialist | Health Through Posture
Clinics in London, Tunbridge Wells & Online
Trusted by GPs, consultants, athletes & busy professionals