5 Best Yoga Poses and Exercises for Hunchback

Has sitting for long hours in front of a computer screen or watching your phone resulted in the formation of a hunchback below your neck? You are not alone.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the transition of many jobs to a work-from-home model, postural problems have been on the rise. Long hours of sitting in a chair staring at a desktop or phone can result in your neck muscles becoming aligned in that particular manner, which then results in postural issues like a hunched back.

The good news is that there are certain yoga poses and exercises that can help you fix the hunchback problem. Read on to learn more about them.

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Vasisthasana and 4 Other Yoga Poses and Exercises for Correcting Hunchback

These five yoga poses and exercises work miraculously to correct proper posture and reduce the appearance of the hunchback.

1) Dhanurasana

This back bending yoga pose improves and restores spinal strength and flexibility. Dhanurasana has the potential to improve posture because we spend so much time hunched over our laptops and computer systems. This exercise aids in getting back on track and maintaining good posture by reducing the appearance of the hunchback.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

• Lie on your stomach with your feet slightly apart and almost parallel to your hips, and your arms on your sides.
• Fold your knees up slowly and raise your hands backwards to support your ankles.
• Inhale, lift your chest off the ground, pull your legs up, and stretch out your arms and thighs while feeling the tension on your arms and thighs.
• Breathe deeply and hold the pose for 12-15 seconds before slowly lowering your chest and legs to the ground.

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2) Chakravakasana

This yoga asana, also known as the cat-cow stretch, targets the spine and abdominals by moving the spine from a rounded (flexion) to an arched position (extension). This exercise is a perfect way to get rid of that hunchback attained from sitting for long periods at a desk, as it increases spinal flexibility.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

• Stand on all fours, forming a table top with your back, hands, and feet from its legs.
• Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor and your hands flat on the floor, directly under your shoulders, with your knees hip-width apart.
• Curl your toes under and tilt your pelvis back so your tailbone protrudes.
• Allow this movement to ripple up your spine from your tailbone while allowing your belly to drop down.
• Draw in your navel and keep your abdominal muscles tight around your spine. Now, without straining your neck, raise your gaze to the ceiling.
• All of this arching was done while inhaling for the cow pose, and now, exhale and release the curled toes.
• Tuck your tailbone, tip your pelvis forward, and allow this action to move up your spine to round it naturally.
• Draw your navel towards your spine, then lower your head and look at your navel.
• Repeat the Cat-Cow Stretch on each inhale and exhale for 5 to 10 breaths, matching the movement to your own breath.

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3) Vasisthasana

The side plank pose in yoga is a miraculous asana that provides both physical and psychological benefits. It enhances posture by stretching and strengthening the back, as well as opening the chest, shoulders, and throat, and can help you reduce the appearance of a hunchback.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

• Begin with the Yoga high plank pose.
• Maintain your toes' strength by keeping your wrist under your shoulders.
• Turn your body to the left and place your weight on your left palm and foot.
• Take your right hand over your head and try to keep your left leg straight and in front of you, off the floor, and above your waistline.
• Look towards your left palm, hold for a few breaths, and then relax.

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4) Utkatasana

Utkatasana is one of the best exercises for your lower body, helping to activate most of the major lower body muscles. However, it also works on your posture and can help reduce the hunchback appearance.

Here's how you can do this yoga pose:

• Stand tall with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
• Take a deep breath and raise your arms straight up, then fold them in front of your chest in the namaskar mudra.
• Exhale and bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair.
• To get into the final position, straighten your back and push your tailbone to the ground.
• Try to hold this pose for 15-20 seconds before releasing it. Return to the first position while inhaling.

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5) Parsvottanasana

We end the session with this mild inversion, a yoga pyramid pose that calms the brain and flushes out the sinuses. This yoga asana not only elongates the hamstrings, stretches the spine, and strengthens the legs and spine, but it also aids digestion and improves posture, helping to reduce the hunchback appearance.

Here's how you can do this yoga pose:

• Inhale while bringing your right foot forward to the inside of your right hand in a downward-facing dog pose, also known as Adho Mukha Svanasana.
• Maintain a distance of 3 to 4 feet and draw your left foot at a 45-degree angle, with the toes of your right foot pointing at the mat's shorter edge.
• Align your heels, raise your torso, and face the same direction as your front foot. Exhale while reaching your arms behind your back.
• Clasp each elbow with the opposite hand, or join your hands behind your back in a reverse prayer position if your shoulders are more flexible.
• Maintain the length of your spine by extending your crown of your head forward and your tailbone behind you.
• Hold the posture for 10 to 15 seconds before releasing it.

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Include these five yoga poses in your daily routine if you wish to improve your posture and get rid of the hunchback that forms when you sit and work for long hours.