BETTER POSTURE: HOW TO GET RID OF A Dowager’s Hump

If you guys follow along on Snapchat you know alllllll about my chiropractor, Dr. Patrick. Patrick is QUITE popular with the girls ( and guys! ) on Snap.

Patrick is good-looking & all but I like him for other reasons. Like what? Well he’s helped me BIG time with my neck.

When I was 18 years old I got into a major car accident & got lateral whiplash on the right side of my neck. Between holding my heavy laptop bag & literally working off my phone every second of the day, the whole situation is a medley for disaster. Pretty much: my neck was fucked.

Now enter: FIX BODY GROUP in Hillcrest where Patrick works.

You should know Fix Body Group is a one-stop shop for body pain. Whenever my neck hurts, I’m there. My favorite part happens to be the traction & stretching. When Patrick stretches my neck a million endorphins release- it’s crazy. If chiropractic work isn’t your thing they also provide massage services, acupuncture, Active Release Technique, therapeutic exercise, & stretching. They also very much will help you with a Dowager’s hump- we don’t want these, yet women everywhere are getting them younger than ever because we’re all hunched over our phones.

Screw a Dowager’s hump ( what a cringe-y word right? ) though BECAUSE GET EXCITED. LIKE JAZZ HANDS EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY BECAUSE: FIX BODY GROUP is offering all TSC readers AN HOUR complimentary Initial examination & treatment with a chiropractor ( value: $120 ). See the end of this post for the deets. LITERALLY ENJOY THIS WITH EVERY OUNCE OF YOUR BEING. Go see Patrick, Sean, & Jared for heaven on earth.

& tell them I said hi ; ).

( ALSO in the meantime: this Chinese herbal medicated oil that I apply on sore areas like my neck or shoulders HELPS A LOT ( they sell it at FIX ). Sometimes I’ll apply it after a workout or anytime I have sore joints. It’s magical- really OBSESSED with the smell of camphor & this has the same scent. You tell me.

If you’re not in San Diego- try an acuppressure mat & pillow. I BEG YOU TO READ THIS POST if you haven’t- this set-up is so inexpensive & sooooo amazing. It stimulates the whole body in a few minutes. Our Chihuahuas even like it.

Ok I’ll let Patrick take it from here to tell you how to prevent a “Dowager’s hump”:

+ Introduce Yourself:

Dr. Patrick Cucarola: Hello my name is Dr. Patrick Cucarola, Chiropractor at Fix Body Group – San Diego’s premier integrative rehabilitation & fitness clinic. We specialize in Chiropractic, massage, Active Release Technique, corrective exercise, stretching and personal training.

+ What is this hump you speak of?  Can you elaborate?

PC: A Dowager’s hump is the fatty tissue build up on the back of the lower neck which leads to pain. It forms over time due to bad posture. Basically, the head and shoulders roll forward, you lose the natural spinal curve then a fatty hump forms in the back. Think of the hunchback of Notre Dame, but not quite that bad. You get the point.

+ How do us girls avoid the hump? Like we don’t want it- ya know?

PC: Dowager’s humps form and sneak up on you over time. The best approach to prevention is stretching, exercises, chiropractic treatments and limiting forward head posture activities. Another way to avoid having the hump is to take some time away from the phone, computer and look up at the rest of the world. That’s a difficult concept due to work, addictions to phones and social media but there are ways to prevent and fix the problem.

+ What’s a mid day trick to help avoid the hump situation?

PC: Stand up, stretch the chest and give your neck a rest from holding up your head in a stressed position. Imagine holding a bowling ball in front of you all day. That’s a lot of pressure on the joints and muscles in the back. Your head weighs approximately the same as a bowling ball so your neck has a big job to do.

+ Boob implants- I have them. How can I do things to make sure they’re not weighing me down.

PC: Implants and naturally larger breasts can, in fact, weigh you down in the front. They pull your shoulders forward and can round your back if you don’t take preventative measures.

It’s pretty simple: if there is more weight in front, tight muscles in front, in combination with weak muscles in the back, a hump and or pain in the neck can exist. To complicate things, after a breast implant surgery, the muscles and fascia develop scar tissue and the shoulders can roll farther forward.

If someone strains/sprains their chest/pecs and it requires surgery, they automatically expect to do some type of rehabilitation/physical therapy afterwards.  Why don’t we do the same for breast implants?  It’s still surgery and still cutting into muscle and fascia.

+ What’s a tool we can all do at home to help with posture?

PC: The easiest tool you can use at home or work is a doorway.  By standing in the doorway and placing your hands and elbows on the walls, you can lean forward and stretch your chest and shoulders. If we are stretching the front, then we want to strengthen the back. Using a resistance band to do pull a parts and rows are perfect and easy tools to use.

+ Three stretches that are quick and easy that make all the difference.

1. Doorway chest stretch.
2. Upper trap/neck stretch.
3. Lying on foam roller with arms outstretched.

+ SO TELL: how important is massage?

PC: Massage is not only a feel good therapy but is extremely valuable when dealing with postural issues. Every day we are sitting, hunched forward-looking down at our phones and computer screens.  Massage is great to release and relax the front musculature and release tension in the neck and shoulders. Making sure you go to the right therapist is key to ensure you are getting a quality effective treatment, instead of a nice “spa” type massage.

+ How often should we get chiropractic care?

PC: The answer is… it all depends. Every person and their body is unique and will need a specific frequency of care based on their individual needs. Typically, a person will need more care in the beginning of the treatment plan. Probably around 2-3 times a week. After the initial phase, we can usually taper off to once or twice a month to maintain the progress we’ve made and handle any other ailments from everyday life.

+ We are all on our phone- HELP ( like every second for me! ). HELP PLZ.

PC: Pretty much everyone uses their phone too much so the number 1 thing we can do is try to limit how much we are on our phones. The next step is to be aware of how we are holding our head while using the phone. We want to be sitting upright with our shoulders pulled back, our head looking straight at the phone instead of down in our lap.

+ One resource for better posture? Could be anything.

PC: Intelliskin is a great resource for posture improvement. They make undershirts, bras or even bodysuits that help pull your shoulders back naturally, compared to other harnesses that hold your back in an awkward, forced position.

The sports bras are great for daily use and helps your body maintain a good posture while exercising or while doing other daily activities. They have elastic bands on the back and shoulders that help pull your shoulders back and open up the chest and make you use your own muscles to hold that position. Personally, I haven’t used the bra for obvious male reasons, but the science behind them is solid.

+ FIX BODY GROUP is offering all TSC readers AN HOUR complimentary Initial examination & treatment with a chiropractor ( value: $120 ). Just mention The Skinny Confidential. Go see Patrick & Sean and enjoy!

MAINTAIN PROPER POSTURE