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Posture Problems
Treatment in Overland Park, KS · Dr. Ladd Carlston
What it feels like
Rounded shoulders and forward head. Upper back fatigue from trying to sit up straight. Neck and shoulder pain from poor posture. Stiffness after long periods of sitting. Feeling like you can't hold good posture for more than a few minutes.
What’s actually causing it
Here's the thing about posture: it's not a discipline problem. You're not slouching because you're lazy. You're slouching because the muscles on the front of your body — pecs, hip flexors, abdominals — are pulling everything forward, and the muscles on the back — your extensors — can't keep up. The front is winning the tug-of-war. If you've been slouching for years, those front muscles have shortened and the back muscles have weakened. You can try to "sit up straight" all day, but you're fighting a muscular imbalance with willpower. That's a losing battle. The fix involves two things: releasing the tight muscles in front that are pulling you forward, and strengthening the extensor muscles of your body to counteract them. This is where some good lifting exercises actually help — strengthening those posterior chain muscles gives them the horsepower to oppose the front.
How I treat it
I test the muscles around the affected area individually, find which ones aren’t firing, and reset the connection using gentle techniques. No cracking, no popping.
How long it takes
Most patients feel a difference after one session. Chronic cases typically resolve in 4–6 sessions.
Why "Just Sit Up Straight" Doesn't Work
You remind yourself to sit up straight. Five minutes later you're slouching again. That's not a willpower failure — it's a muscular reality. The muscles holding you upright are weaker than the muscles pulling you forward. You can't willpower your way past that imbalance any more than you can willpower your way through running a marathon without training. The muscles have to be strong enough to do the job.
The Front Is Winning
Your pecs are tight from sitting. Your hip flexors are shortened from hours in a chair. Your abdominals are pulling your ribcage down. All of these muscles are pulling your body forward and down. The muscles on the back — your rhomboids, mid-traps, erector spinae, glutes — are supposed to oppose that pull and keep you upright. But if they've been losing this fight for years, they've weakened to the point where they can't compete. The front is winning, and your posture shows it.
Movement Matters More Than Stretching
Stretching alone won't fix posture for the same reason it doesn't fix most muscular problems — it's temporary. If you sit all day without moving, a 5-minute stretch isn't going to undo 8 hours of your body being locked in one position. What actually matters is variety of movement throughout the day. Your body wasn't designed to hold any single position for hours. Walk, stand, move, change positions. That variety keeps muscles from shortening and weakening in the first place.
What I Do
I start by releasing the tight muscles in front — pecs, hip flexors, diaphragm. Then I assess the posterior chain to see what's weak or inhibited. I use muscle testing to find specific deficits. From there, it's a combination of myofascial release for what's tight and strengthening for what's weak. I'll also recommend specific exercises — real lifting movements that build the extensor muscles of your body. Deadlifts, rows, face pulls — the kind of exercises that give your posterior chain the strength to actually hold you upright. Posture isn't something you maintain through awareness. It's something your muscles maintain through strength.
“I had been suffering for years and was unsuccessfully treated by others. In one visit, Dr. Ladd was able to find and address the real issue.”
Patient review · Posture Problems patient
Techniques I use for posture problems
Common questions
Can posture be fixed if I've slouched for years?
Yes, but it takes work. The longer the pattern has been there, the more the front muscles have shortened and the back muscles have weakened. It's fixable — it just takes releasing the front and strengthening the back.
Do posture braces work?
No. They hold you in position but your muscles aren't doing the work. When you take the brace off, you slouch again because nothing got stronger. Strength is the fix, not a device.
What exercises help posture?
Lifting exercises that strengthen your posterior chain — rows, deadlifts, face pulls. These build the muscles that actually hold you upright. I'll give you specifics based on what your muscle testing shows.
How long does it take to see improvement?
You'll feel different within 2–3 weeks as the front muscles release. Visible postural change takes 6–12 weeks of consistent strengthening. The longer you've slouched, the longer the fix takes.
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