Posture and back pain: standing taller, hurting less

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Know what is habit and what is bone

   Some rounding of the upper back comes from vertebrae that have compressed, which is a bone matter. A great deal of it is simply weak back muscles and years of sitting forward, and that part genuinely improves with work. If you have lost noticeable height, mention it to your doctor.

   Learn more: Bone health after menopause
2. 2

   Step 2: Strengthen the back, not just stretch the front

   Most posture advice is about stretching, and what actually holds you upright is muscle. Squeezing the shoulder blades together, lifting the breastbone, gently pressing the back of the head towards a wall. Little and often, every day.

   Learn more: Muscle strength and ageing
3. 3

   Step 3: Set up your chair, your bed and your kitchen

   Feet flat, hips slightly above knees, lower back supported by a cushion if the chair does not. Work surfaces at a height you do not stoop to. A mattress and pillow that keep your neck in line with your spine. Small, permanent changes beat willpower.

   Learn more: Home safety checklist
4. 4

   Step 4: Keep moving, because backs hate stillness

   Bed rest for back pain went out decades ago and it makes most backs worse. Gentle, regular movement within comfort is the treatment. See a doctor for pain after a fall, pain with numbness or weakness in the legs, any loss of bladder or bowel control, or pain with fever or weight loss.

   Learn more: Movement as a community habit

All topics in this guide

• Bone health after menopause
• Muscle strength and ageing
• Home safety checklist
• Movement as a community habit

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• Bone and muscle strength after menopause

  Bone, muscle and balance work as one system, and all three respond to what you do each week. A practical plan for women 60+ to stay strong enough to live independently.

• Neck and shoulders: easing stiffness and pain

  Most neck and shoulder trouble after 60 comes from posture, tension and disuse rather than damage, and responds well to gentle movement.