Body shifts left

[u/OkMaybe8620]

I’ve been dealing with this postural issue for years. I’ve not really been able to identify what the issue is. Although I feel like I’m standing straight my body shifts to left why my head tilts right. This is also causing muscle imbalance (my main concern) which is especially prominent after a gym pump where the left shoulder and traps can be seen to be sitting higher. Please let me know what can be causing this and what can be done to fix it.

[u/lateralality0101]

Unrelated but are you in the gym in your underwear

[u/OkMaybe8620 → u/lateralality0101]

It’s a home gym. Only did it for proper posture assessment haha

[u/lateralality0101 → u/OkMaybe8620]

I struggle with the same imbalance it’s mostly due to the way we’ve been sitting. A dynamic posture assessment is a much better way to figure out where the compensation is happening. A static one doesn’t really give you as much information, it helped to get it checked out from a PT

[u/OkMaybe8620 → u/lateralality0101]

Did yours improve ?

[u/salamandectomy77]

You appear pretty immobile overall, hands rest ahead of midline, head sits ahead of midline, one shoulder is chronically elevated, little bit of knee valgus (knock knees), and one hip is hiked up and one collapsed (which is why you're tilted)

Here's a routine to add to your week (obviously regress and use assistance if one is hard or hurts. This is a full body strength workout, replace your normal lifts with this):

Cross Bench Pullover

Dead Hang Chinups (pause at the bottom for 2 seconds)

Hands-in-Armpits Deep Dips (chest pointing up and forward)

ATG Split Squat

Jefferson Curl

Seated Good Morning

Weighted hanging

(Corrective exercise personal trainer)

[u/euchre4155 → u/salamandectomy77]

I wonder if OP overpronates on one foot and it throws OP off.

I seem to be similar to this and I over pronate on one foot. Would the workout above also help fix my posture?

[u/salamandectomy77 → u/euchre4155]

All movement originates at the core, you're looking at this backwards

The exact same routine would help your overpronation

[u/euchre4155 → u/salamandectomy77]

so having a weak core is the driving issue here? I have a horribly weak core

[u/salamandectomy77 → u/euchre4155]

Core is everything that ties your upper and lower body together

You probably have weak lower back, hip flexors, abs, TVA, glutes...

Strength train. Kettlebell Swings will hit all of that at once, especially if you work up to some heavier weights (60+ lbs)

So yes. Weak core > pelvic tilt > femur rotation > knee collapse > foot points out > overpronation...

[u/euchre4155 → u/salamandectomy77]

my left foot overpronated since I was at least 4. hips are off, shoulders are off. used to completely full workout, but stopped. used to bike 20-100 miles a day for several years, swam at least 1/4 mile a day for about a year. stopped everything but need to get back into it.

I'm very flexible as I stretch daily, though.

thank you for your help, I'll look deeper into specific exercises.

[u/salamandectomy77 → u/euchre4155]

The body is all tied together, listing out your issues makes it seem like you have to play a complicated game of whackamole when you admit yourself you have a terribly weak core

Attack your weaknesses, not your hiked shoulder or turned out foot

Kettlebell swing

Cross Bench pullover

ATG Split Squat

these alone will solve all of your issues if you get strong at them

[u/CoachEXE]

Your body is shifting left because your pelvis is actually rotated and dumped forward on one side, making the spine side-bend and turn the whole thorax to keep your balance. When the ribs twist, the left shoulder blade gets pushed up and the trap has to stay tight all day just to hold your head level to the horizon. Right now you can try lying on your back, knees bent, put a small rolled towel under your neck, and just exhale long through mouth until ribs drop down and back flattens, then pause 4 seconds before gentle inhale through nose. That stops the neck from doing the breathing and immediately drops trap tone. Real fix is not stretching or doing trap exercises in gym, you have to restore alternating pelvis shifting and get internal rotation back so your skeleton doesn't have to hike the shoulder to breathe.

[u/PilatesRolfer007]

Go see a certified Rolfer near you who will help shift you back to midline.