A chiropractor told me five exercises could fix my computer neck hump—here’s what actually happened

I caught my reflection in a store window and froze. Was that really my neck? It looked like I had a small hump growing at the base. You know that shocked feeling when you realize something’s wrong with your body? That was me, standing there, touching the bump I’d been ignoring for months.

If you’re reading this, you probably have the same bump. Maybe you noticed it in photos. Or someone pointed it out. Either way, you want it gone. I get it. That bump made me look 10 years older and felt like carrying a weight on my neck.

Here’s what nobody tells you: those neck humps from computer work are reversible. My chiropractor gave me 5 specific exercises that actually work. Not some generic stretches from YouTube. Real exercises that target the exact muscles causing your forward head posture.

What Causes a Neck Hump? Understanding the Problem

Here’s the truth: that bump on your neck has a name. Doctors call it cervical kyphosis. Some people call it a dowager’s hump. But whatever you call it, it’s your body’s response to bad posture.

Think about how you sit right now. Your head probably pushes forward to see your screen better.

Now imagine doing that 8 hours a day. Your head weighs about 11 pounds.

When it sits forward instead of over your spine, your neck muscles work overtime to hold it up.

My Starting Point: Assessing My Neck Hump Before the Exercises

Before starting any exercises, I needed to know how bad things were. My chiropractor showed me three simple tests you can do at home.

First, the wall test. Stand with your back against a wall. Your heels, butt, and shoulder blades should touch it easily. Now try to touch the back of your head to the wall without tilting your chin up. Can’t do it? That’s forward head posture. My head was 3 inches away from the wall.

Next, take a side photo. Have someone photograph you from the side while you stand naturally. Don’t try to fix your posture first. Draw a straight line up from your shoulder in the photo. Your ear should sit right above that line. Mine was way in front of it.

For measuring pain, I rated mine daily on a 1-10 scale. Most days hit 7 by afternoon. My neck felt tight every morning. Turning my head to check blind spots while driving hurt. Headaches showed up 3-4 times a week.

The 5 Neck Hump Exercises My Chiropractor Recommended

Exercise 1: Chin Tucks

This one looks silly but works magic. Sit or stand with your spine straight. Now pull your chin straight back, like you’re making a double chin. Don’t tilt your head down. Imagine someone’s pulling your head back by a string attached to your chin.

Hold it for 5 seconds. You’ll feel a stretch at the base of your skull. That’s your deep neck flexors working. These muscles got weak from your forward head posture. Do 15 reps, 3 times throughout your day.

The biggest mistake? Tilting your chin down instead of pulling it back. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead. Your chin moves backward, not down. If you feel it in the front of your neck, you’re doing it right. Start gentle. These muscles haven’t worked properly in years.

This exercise retrains your head to sit where it belongs. It’s the foundation for fixing forward head posture.

Exercise 2: Wall Angels

Remember making snow angels as a kid? This is similar but standing up. Find a wall and stand with your back against it. Your feet should be about 4 inches from the wall.

Press your lower back, upper back, and head against the wall. Raise your arms to make a “goal post” position. Now slide them up the wall like you’re making angel wings. Keep your arms and hands touching the wall the whole time. Lower back down. That’s one rep.

Do 12 reps, 3 times a day. Your shoulders might not touch the wall at first. Mine didn’t for two weeks. That’s normal. Just get as close as you can without arching your back.

This exercise wakes up the muscles between your shoulder blades. When these muscles work properly, they pull your shoulders back and help support proper neck position.

Exercise 3: Thoracic Extension Over Foam Roller

This one feels amazing once you get used to it. Grab a foam roller and lie on your back. Place the roller under your upper back, right where a bra strap would sit. Support your head with your hands, fingers interlaced behind your neck.

Slowly extend backward over the roller. Don’t force it. Just let gravity help you bend back gently. Come back to neutral. Move the roller up an inch and repeat. Work your way up to the base of your neck.

Do 10 extensions at each spot, twice a day. The first time might hurt. Start with just body weight. After a week, you can let your head drop back more for a deeper stretch.

This exercise reverses the forward curve in your upper back. When your upper back straightens, your neck naturally sits better. Plus, it opens up those rounded shoulders that come with desk work.

Exercise 4: Cat-Cow Stretches

Get on your hands and knees. Hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Start with the cat position: round your spine up toward the ceiling. Tuck your chin to your chest. Hold for 2 seconds.

Now move to cow: let your belly drop and lift your chest forward. Look slightly up. Don’t crane your neck back too far. The movement should feel smooth, like a wave through your spine.

Breathe in as you move to cow, out as you move to cat. Do 10 complete rounds, 3 times a day. Focus on moving your upper back the most. That’s where most people get stuck.

This exercise keeps your whole spine mobile. It prevents your neck exercises from just shifting the problem to your mid-back. The breathing helps relax tight muscles too.

Exercise 5: Resistance Band Pull-Aparts

Get a light resistance band. Hold it at shoulder height with arms straight out front. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Pull the band apart by moving your arms out to the sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull.

Control the movement back to start. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps, 3 times daily. Pick a band that lets you complete all reps with good form. Too heavy and you’ll use your neck muscles to help.

This strengthens your upper back and rear shoulders. These muscles directly oppose the forward pull of computer work. Strong back muscles make good posture feel natural instead of forced.

Start with these exercises exactly as written. After two weeks, you can add more reps if they feel too easy. But form beats everything else. Bad form won’t fix your neck hump.

My 30-Day Exercise Journey: Weekly Progress and Challenges

Week 1: The Adjustment Period

Day 1 hit me hard. Muscles I forgot existed screamed at me. The chin tucks gave me a headache. Wall angels? My shoulders wouldn’t even touch the wall. I spent 15 minutes each morning on exercises and wanted to quit by day 3.

But something kept me going. Maybe it was catching my reflection again. Or how my girlfriend mentioned my posture looked “concerning.” By day 5, the exercises felt less foreign. Still hard, but doable.

The foam roller remained my enemy all week. Every extension felt like torture. I learned to go slower and breathe through it. By day 7, I could complete all exercises without wanting to cry.

Week 2: Building Consistency

Something clicked in week 2. The exercises became automatic. Wake up, brush teeth, do exercises. The 15 minutes flew by. My body knew what to do without me thinking about each movement.

Wall angels improved first. My shoulders finally touched the wall on day 10. Small win, but I’ll take it. The chin tucks stopped causing headaches. Instead, I felt a good stretch.

I started noticing my posture during the day. Caught myself slouching and auto-corrected. Not perfectly, but more than before. My neck felt looser by evening instead of locked up.

Week 3: Noticeable Changes

This is when others noticed. My coworker asked if I got a new chair because I “looked taller.” My girlfriend said my profile looked different. I compared photos from day 1 to day 21. The difference shocked me.

The bump hadn’t disappeared, but it looked smaller. My head sat maybe an inch further back. Not perfect, but progress. Better yet, my pain dropped from a daily 7 to about a 4.

I could turn my head fully while driving. Checking blind spots didn’t hurt. Those tension headaches? Down to once that whole week. The exercises took less effort but still challenged me.

Week 4: Final Results

By day 30, the changes were undeniable. Side photos showed my ear much closer to sitting over my shoulder. The neck hump had visibly decreased. Not gone, but probably 40% smaller.

Pain levels stabilized around 3 out of 10. Some days hit 2. I hadn’t had a tension headache in 10 days. My neck mobility felt like it did in my 20s. Even my sleep improved without the constant neck tension.

The best part? Good posture felt natural. I didn’t have to remind myself constantly. My body wanted to sit properly. The exercises programmed a new normal. That’s worth more than any aesthetic improvement.

Common Mistakes I Made (And How to Avoid Them)

Speed killed my early progress. I rushed through exercises like checking boxes. Those chin tucks I did in 2 seconds? Should have held for 5. Quality beats quantity every time. Slow down. Feel each movement.

Consistency matters more than perfection. I skipped day 3 because of a work deadline. Then day 7 because I felt sore. Bad move. Even doing half the exercises beats skipping entirely. Set a phone alarm. Make it non-negotiable.

Here’s a big one: exercises alone won’t fix everything. I did perfect exercises for two weeks while still hunching over my laptop 8 hours daily. You need both. Fix your workspace or you’re just fighting yourself.

Expecting quick results nearly made me quit. I wanted that bump gone in a week. Reality check: it took years to form. Give it at least a month before judging results. Take weekly photos to see progress you can’t feel yet.

Pain signals matter. Some muscle soreness? Normal. Sharp, shooting pain? Stop immediately. I pushed through bad pain in week 1 and set myself back three days. Listen to your body. There’s good discomfort and bad pain. Learn the difference.

Don’t add your own variations too early. Stick to the exact form for at least two weeks. I tried to “improve” the wall angels by adding weights. Terrible idea. Master the basics first.

Beyond Exercises: Lifestyle Changes That Accelerated My Results

Exercises started the fix, but lifestyle changes sealed the deal. First thing: I raised my computer monitor. Your screen’s top should sit at eye level. Mine sat 6 inches too low. A $20 monitor stand fixed that instantly.

Phone habits needed work too. I caught myself looking down at my phone 50+ times daily. Now I bring my phone up to eye level. Looks weird? Maybe. But my neck thanks me. I also cut my scrolling time in half.

Every hour at work, my phone buzzes. That’s my posture check reminder. Stand up, do 5 chin tucks, reset my position. Takes 1 minute. Prevents that slow slide back into turtle neck position. By 5 PM, I’m still sitting decent instead of fully hunched.

Sleep position mattered more than expected. I ditched my thick pillow for a thinner one. Your neck should stay neutral while sleeping, not pushed forward. Side sleepers need different support than back sleepers. Experiment to find what works.

Core strength surprised me with its importance. A weak core makes your upper body compensate. I added 5-minute planks to my morning routine. Stronger abs meant better posture all day. Everything connects.

Finally, I strengthened my entire back, not just my neck. Simple rows with resistance bands. Basic planks. Nothing fancy. But these supporting muscles made holding good posture effortless instead of exhausting.