My posture is dreadful, I look like I'm stopping all the time.

[BenWillbondsPants]

Poss not the right board but I hope you don't mind
I keep catching sight of myself in shops etc and my posture is becoming really poor. When I notice, I straighten up but it's uncomfortable and I don't keep it up for long before being all slouchy again. DH reckons I've got too many knots in my back and shoulders and a few decent professional massages would help but I'm wondering if anyone here has sorted out their own slouchiness?!

Was going to suggest pilates but now hearing that you are undergoing chemo for breast cancer would simply suggest you are kind to yourself. Take advantage of anything the hospital or Macmillan offer with regard to self help support groups, massage etc. Your body and your mind is going through hell and what you look like at a glance in a shop window ( for example) isn't 'you'. You will get yourself back when treatment finishes. You may find restorative yoga helpful if there's a local class. Or look at YouTube ( I do yoga with Adrienne but she's not for everyone). I hope the treatment goes well. I had cancer ( not breast) and it's taken me years to feel like 'me' again.

Following as I seriously need to work on my posture, I slouch constantly and it’s horrible when I see photos of myself etc. I did visit a chiropractor a while ago before falling pregnant who was wonderful, she would give me a massage and gentle adjustments to my back and neck and also said there were plenty of exercises you could do to help address it. She also advised me to lie flat on my back with my knees raised and arms outstretched wide for 20 minutes four times a week to keep the spine adjusted. I really need to work on all of this now baby is here and my core is even weaker.

Best wishes for your chemo OP, do what feels good at the moment, whatever brings happiness and ease. I do believe our postures reflect how we’re feeling, I will also be reading the book recommended above.

It sounds like you have poor muscle tone and for women it tends to make you quad-dominant that is your flexors are stronger than your extensors - i.e your kinetic chain pulls down on your shoulders to give you a stoop.

Please seek advice from a physio and physical trainer but alongside yoga and pilates you should look to weightlifting to balance your body. Back exercises and deadlifts are good for strengthaning your extensors.

You will get yourself back when treatment finishes.

Oh I hope so. I look in the mirror and see a different woman looking back. Not just because of losing my hair but my face is different somehow. My old self wasn't exactly spectacular but I'd be happy to see the old dear again.

I've literally just booked a chiropractor to see if they can help as I look terrible at the moment and my shoulders are like rocks. It's great to know it worked @Furble. I'm going to also try Pilates after everyone on here has suggested it.

Op I would maybe start gently with the treatment you're having and see if yoga or Pilates helps.

Posture can definitely be improved. But it is not a simple case of being mindful how you carry yourself, unfortunately. There are several factors involved in deteriorating posture - weak core, weak back muscles, tight chest muscles, tight shoulder joints. It can be corrected with targeted exercise. It is best to ask a knowledgeable PT how to correct the posture in your particular case.

I have come to realise how important posture is, more important even than weight. There are overweight people who are unmistakably young and then there are normal weight ‘older’ people who are showing every bit of their age by their poor ‘old woman/man’ posture. Really, people shouldn’t obsess over weight, but over their general tone. It is much much more important for looking youthful.

benwillbindspants it takes a while. But it comes back somehow! I felt like 110 when I was going through it and was so ill. But now I have forced myself to take better care and think I'm not too bad! And some hospitals/Macmillan offer makeup and styling sessions for people going through cancer. You will get there ( btw you know there is a support thread on here for cancer, it helped me enormously when I was going through it)

As well as all the helpful advice above about yoga and Pilates and also about looking after yourself and giving yourself a break while you recover, might I suggest swimming if that's practical? I find breaststroke and front crawl both very freeing for the back/shoulders and I like the drifting, weightlessness of being in the water too. I always feel taller after a swim.

Ps I knew Ben Willbond a bit when he was a v young man and he was totally lovely.

Another vote for Pilates. It really really works. It's more effective in making real physical change than yoga. Also I used to have terrible tight sore shoulders which ended up being cured by hypnotherapy (a side effect of having that for a mental health issue...)

Definitely pilates but also ballet. I started an adult ballet class at the start of this year and while my posture was ok before it’s made me very aware of it and I’m always consciously trying to grow an inch. As a nice bonus, ballet has made me feel more graceful and really good about myself which might be nice for you at the moment.

However don’t stress about your posture just now, concentrate on being kind to yourself and getting well. You might enjoy something like a restorative yoga class for the mental wellbeing aspect.

As others have said, pilates and yoga!

You don't need to attend a class if time is a constraint - if you have a smart tv you could follow a class on youtube (although physically going to a class is better for the instruction you receive)

Pilates, pilates, pilates. Find a gentle class for beginners. I’ve been doing it for several years and my posture has completed changed. My default posture is to hold myself upright. If I slouch it now feels odd!

A lady was in my class last week and clearly had some health issues. The teacher modified every exercise for her and she took lots of breaks and didn’t push herself. She did great.

A few Alexander Technique lessons? Great for body awareness and less energy required of you as I suspect that must be in short supply. Lying down with knees up and head on a couple of books 10-15 mins a night puts the body at mechanical advantage. After a few AT lessons, lots of walking knowing you are holding yourself well can be powerfully restorative.

I have awful posture, too. My shoulders are rounded and I've noticed I lean forward from the hip area, too. I have severe back, leg, knee & feet which probably has something to do with it, along with big boobs I've been conscious of all my life. I'm due some physio soon so I might ask if they can help or suggest anything.

I have this problem and like you I noticed it when I caught myself in shop windows! When I got pregnant with DD2 I had a pelvic condition which meant I was really limited to what exercise I could do to maintain some fitness so I started swimming twice a week (30 lengths, front crawl) and also doing a session of arm weights (Fitness Blender routines) once a week. It was pretty amazing to see the difference particularly the swimming made to my back and shoulders - really pulled me back and my arms/back looked great by the end of my pregnancy!