The modern lifestyle, unfortunately, can wreak havoc on our posture.Illustration by Heidi Berton
Last fall, I visited a physiotherapist. There was a sharp pain in my shoulder and it was difficult to move my neck. I suspected the pain was a crick from dozing off in the wrong position. Maybe a lingering injury from weightlifting. But as the practitioner began his assessment, he asked a simple question: Did I spend a lot of time on my phone or laptop?
Too much screen time can lead to posture issues. A survey from the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary care noted that prolonged screen-based activities significantly raise the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. That can result in shoulder or neck pain, headaches and even impacts on the respiratory system.
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“It’s the modern lifestyle,” said Tristan Kwon, a registered physiotherapist with Ace Sports Clinic in Toronto. Kwon notes that posture problems such as “tech neck” – stiffness in the neck and shoulder exacerbated by spending too much time in a static position – are a growing concern for many Canadian workers.
According to Statistics Canada, adults had an average of 9.3 hours a day of sedentary time between 2022 to 2024.
While my pain cleared up with some stretching and heat, I thought a lot about the underlying causes. My natural standing position sees my head tilt forward like a baby shrimp. Save for sleep, there is hardly an hour in my life when I’m not hunched over a device. Deep in my mid-30s, was it possible to make changes? And if I wanted to correct my posture, where should I start?
The question wasn’t as simple as I’d hoped. There were dozens of different exercise classes where I could start: yoga, tai chi and barre. Or I could try stretch clinics and massage practitioners. My targeted ads on social media offered courses in the Alexander Technique to unlearn my posture habits, ergonomic chairs and wearable posture correctors, all part of a US1.24-billion market for posture correction.
Over eight weeks, I tried to sort through my bigger questions about posture and improve my natural spine position. What started as a lighthearted attempt at self improvement ended up seeping into nearly every aspect of my day-to-day life.
What does good posture actually look like?
'Tech neck' – stiffness in the neck and shoulder caused by spending too much time in a static position – is a common problem.Illustration by Heidi Berton
After my physio appointment, I had a vague sense of where my posture could improve. Rounded shoulders. A protruding neck position. What was less clear is what proper posture and alignment actually looked like.
“Posture is about load management. Your [spine] alignment gives you indicators about what your load management is like,” said Wayne Seeto, a registered physiotherapist and trainer with Stott Pilates in Toronto. “Some areas are going to be excessively loaded or compressed. Some areas are going to be excessively elongated and tensioned.”
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A neutral spine – where the spine maintains its natural curves at the neck, mid-back and lower back – can help reduce strain on your muscles and joints. But according to Seeto, the route to better posture isn’t about chasing perfect alignment. It’s a continued effort to create more balance. Not a goal, but a process.
“It’s more about increasing capacity rather than fixing something. Because posture isn’t just one thing, it’s not static, it’s dynamic.” The approach requires an understanding of what your current resting posture looks and feels like.
An osteopath or physiotherapist can offer some insight. If you’re unable to see anyone in person, apps such as Upwise and PostureScreen Mobile offer posture assessments, though accuracy might vary. Once you know your starting point, it’s a matter of choosing some exercises, stretches or a program to implement.
Finding the right posture plan for you
I wanted to keep my eight-week posture program simple: a series of daily stretches that took a minimal amount of time and could be done both at home and in the office. I’d supplemented that routine with a new class or appointment every other week to get a sense of the other programs out there. Putting together a schedule, I chose the Bend app for everyday use (think Duolingo for stretching routines) and lined up a Thai Massage class and Pilates session to start. I’d use a few short stretches and small walks to break up the workday.
Outside of the Bend app, I used two moves in heavy rotation. First, there’s the chin tuck: Looking straight ahead, I’d slowly push my chin backward without changing the gaze, creating a “double chin” effect and holding it for about five seconds, repeating 10 to 15 times.
Then there was the shoulder blade squeeze. Imagine a pencil between your shoulder blades that you’re trying to pinch. Push it together and hold for a couple of seconds. I’d repeat both moves five to 10 times every few hours.
Even with the very basic plan, I was surprised at how reluctant I was to follow through with my stretch app, even despite the fact that sessions took less than 10 minutes. The whole thing felt oddly emotional. This is how I carry myself when I’m not thinking, and it causes me pain? It didn’t help that during Thai massage I pinched a nerve in my back when an overzealous instructor attempted a stretch which required him to put his full body weight on the back of my legs.
Even when things were going well, it wasn’t an easy fit. During a session with a Pilates instructor, we spent an hour loosening up neck and shoulder tension. Leaving the class, I had more mobility in my upper body than ever before. So much so that I almost lost balance. My head ached.
Three quarters through the challenge, I had missed a number of days of stretching. I felt intimidated and overwhelmed by the classes. While I was more aware of how I was holding my body and trying to break up long sessions at the computer with small walks away from my desk, the whole thing felt awkwardly self conscious.
“A lot of what we’re sold is there’s something wrong with you, and you need to do this to fix it and make it better, and we’re often looking towards some idealized target,” said Kimberley Gammage, a professor of kinesiology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., whose research partly looks at the link between physical activity and yoga in relation to positive body image.
She notes that movements and stretches can be a means of self care rather than something to beat yourself up with. “Everybody’s body is different. There’s no reason to think that through a movement practice everybody’s going to – or should – end up looking exactly the same in terms of posture.”
I wondered if there was a different approach that felt like a better (and easier) fit moving forward.
Can you actually change your posture in two months?
Two weeks ago I signed up for a 30-day trial at a yoga studio close to my house. $65 for unlimited classes. Sessions such as “slow flow” and “restorative yoga” offer guided movement in a group setting, with the instructor offering variations in poses based on individual skill level.
In previous classes I had been trying to achieve a goal. At yoga, I worked to listen to what my body was capable of and try to go from there. Dedicating time to this work in a physical space rather than trying to do another activity glued to my phone with the stretching app made it easier to do other stretches outside of the classes, because of a shift in attitude, not in form.
I wasn’t doing this to be the best. I was doing it because it made me feel good.
I started the posture project with the goal of perfect alignment: better posture as a victory to be achieved. I’d find easier movement, less pain and maybe even seem a bit taller. Things didn’t go quite according to plan.
But if you’re thinking of starting your own posture journey, I’d recommend going slow, finding movement patterns that work for you and can be performed regularly, and maybe getting some gentle in-person care. While it will likely take more than eight weeks to solidify habits, I am starting to notice some differences. The pain in my neck hasn’t popped up again and my shoulders feel loose for the first time in years.