Fixing Rounded Shoulders with Holistic Movement
Rounded shoulders happen when your shoulders roll forward, making you look hunched. This posture issue can cause discomfort or even pain over time. Learning how to fix rounded shoulders can improve both how you feel and how you move.
There are many workouts for rounded shoulders, but most fail to fix the root cause. Functional Patterns offers a better way. It focuses on how the body works as a whole, following the SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) principle to make changes that last.
Why Traditional Methods Fail
Many exercises for rounded shoulders only focus on one part of the body. For example, squeezing your shoulder blades together or using a foam roller might feel good for a moment, but they don’t address deeper problems like muscle imbalances or poor posture.
Some workouts involve bending your elbows with a resistance band. This activates certain muscles, but it doesn’t engage the entire upper body. Over time, it can worsen issues like severe rounded shoulders or shoulder pain.
Physical therapists and personal trainers sometimes suggest exercises for humped shoulders or curved shoulders exercises, such as raising your arms or rolling shoulders forward. Unfortunately, these moves often ignore how the thoracic spine, head posture, and the rest of the body are connected. Without this full-body focus, the hunching of shoulders can return.
How Functional Patterns is Different
Functional Patterns takes a whole-body approach to fix rounded shoulders. It works to align the thoracic spine, shoulder joint, and upper body. This creates balance and helps you maintain a neutral position during movement.
Unlike traditional methods, Functional Patterns doesn’t just focus on shoulder posture. It also addresses the neck and shoulder area, the core, and even the lower body. This prevents protracted shoulders and helps build rounded shoulders that are balanced and strong.
The SAID principle is a key part of this approach. By training the body to adapt to real-life movements, Functional Patterns makes lasting improvements to posture and movement.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake is holding static positions for long periods of time. This doesn’t fix the root problem and might even make it worse. Another mistake is focusing only on symptoms like lifted shoulders or rolling shoulders forward. These quick fixes don’t address the actual causes of poor posture.
Lifestyle habits also matter, but not the ones you’d think. Many people stress about factors like' ‘how to sleep to fix rounded shoulders’. Sitting posture is also a large topic for posture.
However, the lifestyle changes that we see address rounded shoulders are slightly different. For example, removing alcohol and caffeine and supporting the nervous system supports healthy posture. Removing foods that bloat you and addressing core tension also has a large effect.
Functional Exercises for Rounded Shoulders
Functional Patterns uses specific exercises for rounded shoulders to retrain your body. These exercises target the thoracic spine, shoulder joint positioning, and the entire body. Over time, they improve posture and reduce shoulder pain.
Instead of relying on shoulder exercises for rounded shoulders that isolate one muscle, this approach engages the whole body. This makes it effective for both severe rounded shoulders and cases of bad posture.
The program includes dynamic movements, strengthening exercises, and specialised corrective moments. These movements train your body to stay in a neutral position, even during everyday activities. They also address neck and shoulder tension caused by poor posture or muscle imbalances.
Why Fixing Bad Posture Matters
Bad posture is more than just an appearance problem. It can lead to chronic discomfort, shoulder pain, and limited movement over time. Severe rounded shoulders often cause tension in the neck and shoulder area or stiffness in the shoulder joint.
Functional Patterns retrains your body to avoid habits like lifting shoulders unnecessarily. By keeping your palms facing forward and maintaining a neutral position, you can reduce strain on the thoracic spine and improve your posture.
The Long-Term Benefits of Functional Patterns
Functional Patterns doesn’t rely on isolated movements. Instead, it focuses on how your entire body works together. This whole-body approach makes it more effective than traditional physical therapy or curved shoulders exercises.
By addressing muscle imbalances and teaching your body to move as one system, Functional Patterns ensures lasting improvements. It not only fixes rounded shoulders but also helps prevent future problems.
If you’re wondering how to fix rounded shoulders, Functional Patterns offers a complete solution. It doesn’t just provide temporary relief but teaches you how to improve your posture for good. With the right exercises and guidance, you can correct bad posture, reduce shoulder pain, and keep severe rounded shoulders from returning.
Functional Patterns is about more than just exercises for hunched shoulders or protracted shoulders. It’s a lifestyle change that focuses on long-term health and movement. Whether it’s through better daily habits or targeted workouts, this method can help you move and feel your best.