Posture AI

Can You Go to Physical Therapy for Bad Posture & See Real Improvement?

Mar 21, 2025

woman with trainer - Can You Go to Physical Therapy for Bad Posture

Poor posture is nothing to be ashamed of. It affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles. The good news? You can correct your posture to relieve pain, improve your physical appearance, and restore confidence in your movements. Can you go to physical therapy for lousy posture? Yes, you can! This article will help you understand how physical therapy and wall posture exercise can help you correct your posture effectively, relieve pain, and move confidently, ideally seeing noticeable improvement in a predictable timeframe.

An app like Posture AI can help you achieve your posture goals. This posture correction app provides personalized exercises to relieve pain, enhance your appearance, and restore confidence in movement.

What is Bad Posture, and What Causes It?

man walking - Can You Go to Physical Therapy for Bad Posture

Bad posture represents a misalignment of the body's bones that occurs when sitting, standing, or moving. We develop poor posture over time as specific muscles weaken or tighten, causing the body to compensate and shift into unhealthy positions. Most people attribute, at least to some degree, their neck or back pain to poor posture.

Defining and Hindering Good Posture

Good posture is a form of fitness in which the body's muscles support the skeleton in a stable and efficient alignment. It is present both in stillness and in movement. Unfortunately, numerous factors can get in the way of good posture. Lousy posture can result from things like the day-to-day effects of gravity on our bodies.

Causes of Poor Posture

Bad posture may also occur due to an injury, an illness, or genetics—issues that, for the most part, you can't control. A combination of these factors is also quite common. Considering the underlying factors that interfere with good posture may help guide you as you make lifestyle changes or seek medical or holistic treatment.

Injury and Muscle Guarding: The Aftermath of Trauma

After an injury, muscles can spasm to protect the vulnerable area. While muscle spasms can help keep your injuries stable and protect them from further injury, they also limit your movements and cause pain. Prolonged muscle spasms lead to weakened muscles over time. The resulting imbalance between muscles guarding an injury and those still working usually also leads to aberrations in body posture. Sometimes, treatment with massage and/or physical therapy can bring muscles back to optimal functioning.

Muscle Tension and Muscle Weakness: Finding Balance

Specific muscle groups can weaken or tense, affecting posture and, eventually, causing pain. Muscle weakness or tension can also result from holding a prolonged position day after day or performing routine tasks and chores that stress your muscles or use them unequally. A 2018 study published in the March issue of Scoliosis Spinal Disorders points out that muscle tension, strength, and flexibility affect posture. Living an active lifestyle may help you avoid bad posture in the long run.

Daily Habits Can Lead to Bad Posture: Breaking the Cycle

Your body can abandon good posture as you find ways to accommodate muscle spasms, weakness, tension, and/or imbalance between muscle groups. Your body may use alternate but less efficient muscle contraction and stretch patterns in these situations. Called compensation, the body can still achieve its movement aim but with compromised alignment.

Your Use of Technology and Your Posture: The New Normal

Your use of technology, whether you sit at a computer all day, use a tablet or cell phone, or work with several devices at once, can slowly take your body out of alignment. If you text incessantly, you may develop a text neck, in which your neck is held in too much flexion or forward bending for too long. This may lead to pain.

Mental Attitude and Stress May Lead to Bad Posture: The Unexpected Connection

Do you stress easily or have stressful relationships? If so, watch your posture! Stress may contribute to shallow breathing or overly-contracted muscles, compromising body posture. Conversely, adjusting posture can also counteract stress.

Shoe Choice and The Way You Wear Them: Don’t Let Your Feet Down

Clothing, especially shoes, can affect posture. Heels throw your body weight forward, which can quickly catapult you into misalignment. And if you wear down either the outside or inside of the shoes faster, because of weight-bearing habits, imbalanced kinetic forces will likely translate up your:

Ankle
Knee
Hip
Low back

This may lead to pain or bad posture in any of these joints and your lumbar spine.

Heredity and Genetics: What’s Your Posture Personality?

Sometimes it's just in the genes. For example, Scheuermann's disease is a condition in which adolescent boys develop a pronounced kyphosis in their thoracic spines. Of course, in such cases, it's best to work with your healthcare provider for treatment and management.

Are There Different Types of Bad Posture?

Bad posture symptoms tend to present themselves in groupings. The most common are:

Hyperlordosis
Kyphosis

When your spine is often held in an unhealthy position, the rest of your body adjusts to compensate. Your visible cluster of symptoms depends on how your spine may be improperly curving. Let’s take a closer look at both:

Hyperlordosis: The Defining Characteristics

Hyperlordosis is a condition where your lower back is curved further than expected. This creates a c-shape in your lower spine. There’s a natural curve in your spine there anyway, but with hyperlordosis, it’s extended beyond what’s expected. Traits of hyperlordosis include:

Locked knees
Pot belly
Shoulder blades reaching too far backward
Arching of the lower back
Unusual posture
Chest pushing out further than usual.

Kyphosis: The Defining Characteristics

Kyphosis is similar to hyperlordosis in that it’s an abnormal spine curvature. But in this case, it’s curving the upper back in a forward manner instead of a backward manner. In mild cases, kyphosis can cause:

Shoulder pain
Impingement
Neck pain
Headaches
Decreased lung capacity

In severe cases, though, it can lead to breathing problems, traits of kyphosis:

Hunchback
Tilting head forward
Bent knees
Rounded shoulders

8 Common Signs of Bad Posture

woman with backpain - Can You Go to Physical Therapy for Bad Posture

1. Rounded Shoulders

Rounded shoulders signal lousy posture. They happen when the shoulders hunch forward, curving the upper back. This posture strains the neck, shoulders, and upper back, causing:

Tightness
Discomfort
Pain

Rounded shoulders can also compress the chest, restricting lung capacity and breathing. Correcting this condition involves strengthening the upper back muscles, stretching the chest, and maintaining proper posture during daily activities.

2. Forward Head Posture

Forward head posture occurs when the head juts forward instead of sitting directly over the shoulders. This abnormal positioning can strain the neck muscles, causing:

Stiffness
Pain
Headaches

Forward head posture can also restrict breathing and spinal alignment. Fixing this condition involves:

Strengthening the neck muscles
Stretching the chest and upper back
Maintaining head and neck alignment throughout daily activities

3. Hunchback

Hunchback posture refers to excessive rounding of the upper back, creating a "hunched" appearance. It results from weak upper back muscles, prolonged sitting, or standing without proper alignment. A hunched-back posture can cause discomfort and pain in the upper back and neck muscles, leading to breathing difficulties. Correcting hunchback posture involves exercises to strengthen the upper back muscles, stretching the chest, and practicing proper posture during activities to avoid further aggravation.

4. Slouching

Slouching consists of a forward-leaning position of the upper back and shoulders. Weak back and abdomen muscles, prolonged sitting, or poor workstation ergonomics can cause this posture. Slouching places additional pressure on spinal discs, resulting in potential discomfort and pain in the neck, back, and shoulders. It can also limit lung capacity and affect digestion. Correcting slouching involves strengthening the back and abdomen, improving workstation ergonomics, and taking frequent breaks to promote better posture.

5. Anterior Pelvic Tilt

An anterior pelvic tilt involves an exaggerated forward tilt of the pelvis and an inward curve of the lower back. Several factors, including weak hip flexors and lower back muscles, prolonged sitting, or improper standing posture, cause this postural issue. Anterior pelvic tilt can lead to pain and discomfort in the lower back and hips while restricting hip mobility. Fixing this posture involves strengthening the hip flexors, lower back, and abdominal muscles, stretching tight lower body muscles, and correcting poor posture during daily activities.

6. Recurring Headaches

Bad posture and recurring headaches can be related. Poor posture, particularly forward head posture, can strain the neck muscles and joints, leading to tension headaches. Also, bad posture can affect breathing patterns and blood flow to the brain, contributing to migraines.

7. Muscle Fatigue

Bad posture can cause fatigue by placing undue stress on muscles, leading to strain and, eventually, fatigue. On the other hand, muscle fatigue can also contribute to bad posture, as weakened muscles cannot adequately support the body's weight and maintain proper alignment. Therefore, addressing muscle fatigue through regular exercise, stretching, and ergonomic modifications can improve posture by promoting better muscle endurance and preventing the development of bad posture habits.

8. Back & Neck Pain

Poor posture can increase stress on the muscles, joints, and spine bones, resulting in back and neck pain. Slouching or hunching can disrupt the spine's natural alignment and create tension in the back and neck muscles, leading to soreness, stiffness, and pain.

Can You Go to Physical Therapy for Bad Posture?

Yes, physical therapy is an effective way to improve your posture. Your physical therapist will help you balance your body through stretches, hands-on treatment, and exercises.

Standard Physical Therapy Techniques for Posture Improvement

When we say physical therapy techniques, we mean physical therapists' methods to correct poor posture.

Manual Therapy: This is when a hands-on treatment like massage is introduced to relieve muscle tension, improve joint mobility, and realign the body for better movement.
Postural Training: The physiotherapist teaches you the correct position to stand, sit, or walk. You may also be asked to adjust your work environment.
Strength Training: Strength training involves exercises that engage and train specific muscles that carry your body, such as your core, neck, and back muscles. Some might even recommend different passive activities like dry needling for pain management.

Practical Posture Correction at Home

Nevertheless, if visiting a physical therapist isn’t an attainable option, you can do plenty of exercises to improve your posture. At-home stretches and exercises can help loosen up tight muscles and strengthen muscles that help you maintain a good posture. Just remember to take the time to help your muscles cool down after exercise so you don’t have sore muscles. This will make sticking to your treatment and exercise plan much more manageable.

1. Foam Roller Arch

A foam roller is a great way to loosen up your tight mid-back. By extending your mid back over this at-home tool, you can work out minor stiffness that may be preventing you from keeping a proper posture. Unsure of where to get started with your foam roller? Here’s a simple breakdown of using a foam roller at home:

Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat to the floor. Then, place the roller on the mid part of your back.
Cross your hands over your chest, exhale, and lean backward over the roller.
Keep leaning back onto the roller as far as you can, hold it briefly, and then sit back up.
As you sit up, it’s entirely natural to hear some popping. It might also be a bit sore, but it shouldn’t hurt.
Repeat two to three more times, moving higher up the back.
If you want to try this physical therapy exercise but don’t have access to a foam roller, don’t fret. In a pinch, you can follow the steps above using a rolled-up towel instead.

2. Shoulder Stretch in Door Frame

If you spend a lot of time working at a desk, it could be affecting your posture. When you sit down for prolonged periods while doing your daily tasks, your shoulders can hunch, and your chest can become tight. You may even find it difficult to sit up straight.

Combating the Hunch: Doorframe Chest Openers

Without being mindful of your posture, you may have a hunch. Luckily, physical therapy exercises can help loosen up the muscles in the front of your chest. For example, you can do the following exercise using a doorframe:

Raise your arms from your body to make a Y shape.
Press your arms against the doorframe.
Slowly lean further into the doorframe until you feel the front of your chest stretching.
Hold the deep stretch for at least 30 seconds, then relax. Repeat this stretch twice.

3. Bent Wrist Forearm Stretch

If you do a lot of repetitive work with your hands, the tops and bottoms of your forearms may develop tightness. This tightness can lead to a repetitive strain injury like carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow. Try incorporating a bent forearm stretch into your daily routine to keep your forearm muscles loose and limber.

How to do this:

Reach one arm out before you and bend your wrist towards the floor.
Pull the hand on your extended arm downwards towards your body using your other hand.
Pause when you feel a stretch along the top of your forearm.
Hold this position for 20 seconds.
Repeat this, but pull the hand on your extended arm upwards and back towards your body.
Pause when you feel a stretch along the bottom of your forearm.
Repeat these steps twice on each arm.

4. Neck Stretches

As you spend more time in front of screens and take Zoom calls at home, your body may be paying the price. Hours in front of a computer can lead to slouching and tension in the neck and upper back. This tension can contribute to soreness and even upper back and neck headaches. Regular neck stretching can help combat the progression of this tension.

How to do this:

Turn your head and look towards one of your shoulders.
Raise the arm that you are looking at and use it to grab the back of your head gently.
Lightly pull on the back of your head.
When you feel a gentle pull on the opposite side of your neck, pause and hold the stretch for 20 seconds.
Repeat this twice on either side of your head.

5. Cat Cow Stretch

If you’ve ever practiced yoga, you’re most likely familiar with the cat-cow stretch. It’s a popular stretch amongst yogis and physical therapists alike because of its ability to lubricate the joints in your spine and loosen up back muscles. Not a yoga lover? No problem. Follow along with the steps below:

How to do this:

Start with your hands and knees on the ground.
Allow your stomach to sink towards the ground as you raise your head to look at the ceiling.
With your stomach sinking and your head looking upwards, you are now in the cow pose.
Push yourself as far as you can comfortably and hold this position for a count of 1.
Arch your back upwards, and bend your neck downwards to enter the cat position.
Push your back to arch further upwards and your neck towards your belly button as far as possible.
Hold this position for a count of 1.
Repeat the above steps 15 times.

6. Thoracic Extension

Thoracic Extension helps lengthen and strengthen your upper back muscles. It also improves your range of motion.