The three rounded shoulders tests are the wall contact, thumbs, and tight pec tests.

Plus, how to fix your rounded shoulders.

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We see this time and time again in our patientsimprove the posture and the pain goes away.

woman sweating in the gym

Bob Schrupp is a physical therapist and the founder and owner of Therapy Network, Inc.

And its not just muscular pain you might be dealing withSchrupp says your breathing may be impacted as well.

Rounded shoulders may affect respiration with the lungs, he says.

Poor posture is fixable!

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

The rounded shoulders tests

So, how do you verify if you have rounded shoulders?

There are three easy shoulder tests you might reference, according to Schrupp.

While doing this test, your head and eyes should remain level.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

tech neck], which often accompanies forward shoulders.

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Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

Bob Schrupp is a physical therapist and the founder and owner of Therapy Network, Inc.

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For this one, you may want a yoga mat or towel.

How to fix rounded shoulders

So what now?

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

Pro tip: you could see all of these demonstrated in the video above for extra clarification).

Start stretching

First up,stretching!

This is especially important if youve determined one or more of your pec muscles are tight.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Raise your arms to the side and overhead for a prolonged stretch of one to two minutes.

you might do this two to four times per day.

Yogascamel poseis another good option.

2.Strengthen your muscles

Next on deck, strengthening weaker muscles to create stronger posture.

For this one, youll need aresistance band.

Grab each end of a resistance band or tubing with your palms facing forward, advises Schrupp.

Hold for a count of five, and repeat 10 times.

you could do this two to four times per day.

Awareness

The last one is the simplest, but probably the hardestpaying attention to your posture.

Make a mental check of your head and shoulder posture throughout the day, says Schrupp.

Want more posture-improving tips?

Try this Pilates for better posture workout:

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