How to treat Dowager’s Hump: Chiropractic Solutions

Can a Chiropractor Fix a Dowager’s Hump?

Yes. According to Dr. Sean Dawson, D.C., a chiropractor can help improve or reverse a Dowager’s Hump (postural kyphosis) by combining specific spinal manipulation with customized active therapies. These targeted treatments help release restricted joints, strengthen the upper back muscles, and retrain the spine back into its natural, healthy curvature.

“Don’t slouch your back or it’ll stay that way!” You may have written off that Dowager’s Hump warning as just a scare tactic when it came from Mom, but it turns out she may have been right. Concern about that little hump at the back of the neck is now expressed by musculoskeletal experts across the globe.

Slouching, slumping, hunching, sagging, drooping, stooping—however you want to describe poor posture—can lead to Dowager’s Hump, commonly called hunchback.

Even the medical term for Dowager’s Hump, postural kyphosis, embodies its cause: poor posture. This outward curvature of the upper back causes a hump at the back of the neck, forward head posture, pain, and many other debilitating symptoms. According to clinical research, 20-40% of older adults are affected by it. ¹

“Your spine is the master mover of your entire body, meaning that poor posture habits will eventually take a toll on everything else. That little hump at the back of the neck doesn’t happen overnight—it takes years of slouching to develop. But with the right chiropractic care and targeted exercises, it is very often reversible.” — Dr. Sean Dawson, D.C.

Yes, Dowager’s Hump can often be reversed. But of course, as you may expect, it’s not a quick and easy fix. After all, it takes years to develop that hump at the back of the neck—so reversing it takes a bit of time too. Read on to discover the causes, symptoms, treatments, and exercises that can improve or correct the unnatural spinal curvature of Dowager’s Hump.

What Causes Dowager’s Hump?

In rare instances, when the spine is not fully formed at birth, Dowager’s Hump can be a genetic condition. In some cases, it can also be a manifestation of osteoporosis, Spina Bifida, or Cushing’s syndrome. But by far the most common cause of Dowager’s hump is a very common habit: poor posture.

Slouching while standing or walking, leaning back in chairs, or carrying heavy bags can stretch the ligaments and muscles that support your vertebrae, which can increase your spinal curvature. When the thoracic vertebrae in your upper back become too stretched out, you can slowly develop postural kyphosis (a spinal curvature of more than 50 degrees). If you are concerned about your posture, it may be time to seek a clinical assessment.

Symptoms of Dowager’s Hump

Feel a hump on the back of your neck muscles that seemed fine not long ago? It could be Dowager’s Hump. The outward curvature of the upper back’s thoracic vertebrae is obvious to any observer. It appears as a rounded hunch—thus the term “hunchback.”

Dowager’s Hump also presents with forward head posture (where the head juts forward to varying degrees). If you notice your spine is curving or that you have a hard time standing straight, you may be developing this condition.

According to the National Library of Medicine, poor posture can gradually cause you to:

• Misalign your musculoskeletal system
• Make your spine more fragile and injury-prone
• Generate headaches, as well as neck, shoulder, and back pain
• Decrease your flexibility
• Disrupt your joint movement
• Weaken your balance, increasing your risk of falling
• Cause fatigue and dizziness

Severe, late-stage complications of kyphosis can include:

• A persistent hump on the back of the neck
• Persistent back pain
• Difficulty walking, looking up, or getting up from a sitting position
• Numbness or tingling in the legs
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Digestive issues
• Bladder or bowel control challenges

As with every condition, symptoms vary depending on your age, general health, lifestyle, and determination to reach your wellness goals before a Dowager’s Hump can intensify.

Can Dowager’s Hump Be Reversed with Exercise?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the answer is yes, it often can. ² Depending on your age, medical history, lifestyle and, of course, the severity of your Dowager’s Hump, you often can improve or even reverse this misalignment.

It can be accomplished by gradually strengthening and toning your upper back muscles to gently pull up your shoulders and your head. You can begin this process at home with the following exercises:

• Legs Up the Wall: Sit flat on the ground with your side close against the wall. Lean back onto your hands, spinning your body slightly and sliding the back of your legs up the wall. Recline onto your back with your feet facing the ceiling. Slowly inch your bottom closer to the wall, keeping your hands in place on your stomach. Close your eyes and relax. Hold for two to three minutes.



• Bridge Pose: Lay on your back with your arms at your sides, palms down. Put your feet flat on the floor with your knees up. Lift your hips to the sky on the inhale, while pressing down on the soles of your hands. Hold for three breaths. Release this tension on an exhale, lowering your body one vertebra at a time. Repeat three times.



• Downward Dog: Starting from the Plank Pose, press the hips up and back. Press your chest towards your knees. Make sure your heels are hip-width apart, and your fingers are spread wide with weight evenly distributed through your hands. Relax your head, neck, and shoulders away from your ears. Stay here for 30 seconds to a minute.

Maintaining Your Natural Posture Every Day

The good news? Dowager’s Hump is preventable and quite often reversible! It just requires gradually changing some habits. Start by making sure your shoulders are slightly back and relaxed, your head is neutral with your chin parallel to the ground, your stomach is tucked in, and your back is straight.

Consider implementing a regular postural awareness check-in. If you notice your hips are slanted forward and slouching, try creating a slight c-shaped curve in your low back by arching your abdomen forward to redirect your weight towards your “sit” bones. Flexing your ab muscles is another way to remind the body to sit up straight. Start with this quick and easy check list.

How an Experienced DC May Help You Correct Dowager’s Hump

After a “hands-on” palpation of your back to discover the exact location of your misalignments, your DC may perform an X-ray to determine the phase of misalignment and the amount of degenerative changes in your spine. Then they will gently and strategically release abnormally moving joints to restore your nervous system functions.

Because the type and severity of each patient’s Dowager’s hump is unique, each chiropractic care plan will include a custom protocol using one or more of these evidence-based techniques:

• Specific Spinal Manipulation: This technique helps your chiropractor identify restricted joints with abnormal motion. Using a gentle thrusting technique, they’ll gently stretch your soft tissue in a specific direction and with a calculated depth to correct the misaligned vertebrae.
• Adjustment Protocols: Your DC may choose either a specific adjustment (gentle force applied to one’s joint or articulation for short leverage exchanges) or a general adjustment (the mobilization of more than a single joint at a time).
• Chiropractic BioPhysics® (CBP): This technique combines standard chiropractic joint adjustments with mirror image (opposite position) postural adjustments, mirror image spinal/postural exercise, and mirror-image traction for gentle postural correction. ³
• Drop Techniques: As your DC provides a sudden gentle thrust to your spinal or pelvic area, the area of your body being worked on is simultaneously dropped by the table. This technique allows for thorough alignments that release pressure from your spine, reduce your inflammation, and improve your flexibility.
• In-clinic Active Therapies: After delivering your adjustment, your clinic team will prescribe, train you on, and supervise a personalized active therapy protocol. Your exercises may include seated or walking traction, floor exercises, wall exercises, and other strengthening exercises depending on your needs.
• Correction Back Brace: Sometimes a brace is needed for a little extra support until your spine is realigned properly, as it will train your body to hold and correct the overall curvature of your spine.
• Home exercises

After reviewing your assessments and watching your in-clinic progress, your DC may assign you a set of exercises to do at home. They’ll become gradually more difficult as your improvement progresses and your back strengthens.

If you take these steps consistently as instructed, you may be able to reverse Dowager’s Hump and enjoy your natural spinal curvature once again. Of course, your healing journey will require finding a reputable chiropractor that’s right for you.

Just as machines need regular maintenance to function optimally, our bodies need regular care. Chiropractic adjustments not only direct posture healing, they help prevent injury and promote your wellness goals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it too late to fix a Dowager’s Hump?

It is rarely too late! While severe, long-term cases may take more time to address, most postural kyphosis can be significantly improved or reversed with a dedicated chiropractic care plan and consistent posture-correcting exercises.

What is the main cause of a Dowager’s Hump?

While genetics or conditions like osteoporosis can play a role, the most common cause is years of poor posture. Slouching, forward head posture, and hunching over desks or devices stretch the ligaments in the upper back, eventually leading to an unnatural outward curve.

Can I fix my posture at home without seeing a doctor?

You can certainly start improving your posture at home by actively practicing ergonomic awareness and doing upper back strengthening exercises like bridges and wall stretches. However, if a structural misalignment or joint restriction has already formed (the “hump”), it is highly recommended to partner with a chiropractor to physically mobilize the restricted joints so your exercises are actually effective.

References

1. Katzman, Wendy B et al. “Age-related hyperkyphosis: its causes, consequences, and management.” The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy vol. 40,6 (2010): 352-60. doi:10.2519/jospt.2010.3099. Accessed 17 July 2026.
2. Bansal, S., et al. Exercise for improving age-related hypersyphosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 95, no. 1, 2014. Accessed 17 July 2026.
3. Harrison, D. E., et al. Chiropractic BioPhysics technique: a linear algebra approach to posture in chiropractic. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, vol. 19, no. 8, 1996. PubMed, PMID: 8902664. Accessed 17 July 2026.