I’ve a hunch…..

[2manyoranges]

For years, I have been really bothered about increasing curvature of my shoulders, and we have realised that we tend to do ‘hunch sports‘ in our household - rounded shoulders, strong hunched position

Road cycling … hunch sport
Mountain biking … hunch sport
Skiing … hunch sport
Table tennis … actually when you look….hunch sport
Working at a computer ... hunch (sport)
Working at a laptop for two years during Lockdown ... more hunching

The previous generations of mountain bikes - long stem, arse up - were terrible for worsening The Hunch. The latest generation are way better; far more open and upright position. And the new preoccupation in our house with the pump track has been great. All that pulling up and pumping and jumping…really opens up the chest and straightens the back…excellent.

 

[velofrog]

"Esmeralda!"

 

[mk one]

I dont think being in a hunched position is bad in itself, just remember to stretch after and to maintain your posture at other times.

While coaching one of the main things we had to enforce was working the pushing muscles in the climbers,, most focus on the pulling to build strength but that unbalances the bodies muscles resulting in hunched shoulders, the core muscles are important too in supporting the lower back helping with posture.

 

[2manyoranges]

Mk one - the trouble is that it’s just about everything I do … get up, cycle to work, hunch over a computer, forget to stretch or sit properly, then cycle home and hunch watching various things on line…I try to break that by getting to the pump track but it’s so cold and dark there now. We tried jumping in the twilight and can confirm that it’s mighty scary….

 

[KermitGKona88]

Didn't do Charles Laughton any harm... I'll fetch my coat...

 

[The History Man]

Or Dave starsky

 

[yakboy]

I hear you. 30 years work plus 5 years of uni training and the same amount of time in a kayak or on a bike has led to my very hunch like profile. I don't like it but hey ho.. that's what I've become...."The bells...the bells"...

 

[2manyoranges]

Yep it feels like its very much how my body is now built. But things did get a lot better during the summer when I was at the pump track 3-4 times a week - just as becoming hunched was a slow process, undoing it is a slow (but possible) process...

 

[trailstar82]

When riding on the road I constantly have to remind myself to relax my shoulders for fear of “the hunch”.

 

[Mikey08]

Not a qualified Physio but I know a little bit about this kind of thing...

Do hyperextensions and Face pulls to strengthen the spinal erectors and upper back muscles (traps rhomboids rotator cuff). Also do abdominal stretches and pectoral stretches. Band pull aparts and bent rows will also help.

Its about correcting the imbalances between the muscles front to back. You Pecs will be shortened and tight pulling your shoulders forward, while you posture muscles in the back will be lengthened and weak.

Lots of good info on this kind of thing on youtube.

Hope this helps