Is it possible to flatten a dowager hump? Is there a point of no return? When can you really, finally, decide that your dowager hump is here to stay. Or how will you know when it’s just going to get worse?

These are serious e-mails and questions I get on a regular basis. Without trying to give false hope, it’s good to know that most people don’t necessarily have a dowager hump, but rather just bad posture on it’s way to becoming the hump.

A true Dowager’s Hump involves a weakening of the bones of the spine via osteoporosis followed by compression fractures where the spine is literally caving in on itself. The bones are collapsing and this increases a curve that is already present in the spine. This is the point of no return.

Posture exercises can probably do a good job of keeping things from getting worse, because strengthening the posture muscles will put less pressure on the joints of the spine. Modifications will likely need to be made, or at least doing exercises that don’t involve laying on the floor.

If you have not yet developed an actual hump, that is, your spine has not yet suffered any fractures, then I believe you can prevent, flatten, or get a lot of relief from strengthening your posture muscles. You can make the strain of gravity and the strain of your daily activities significantly less if you just improve the balance in your spine.