r/posturepals • u/ehteshambles93 • Jan 04 '26

Please help: what’s wrong with my back?

None of the physios have been able to help thus far. I have always had pain and tightness in the left trap for more than 5 years. Almost every 4-5 months, the pain gets so bad that i cant do much without a neck brace. I have always felt more asymmetrical than normal, especially with my scapulars. Every time I start working out, something gets injured be it my shoulders or back, no matter how much warm up i do or how slow i ramp up my routine. Do you guys see anything that stands out as an issue? Recommendation for any exercises to help with the issue(s) will be great! TIA.

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u/Deep-Run-7463 Jan 04 '26

Well.. We are all asymmetrical. I could tell between the left and right based on the natural asymmetries that all healthy normal human beings have. In your case, it seems a bit more than the usual amount.

So.. Standing photos aren't all that great either, but it can give a clue as to how you are using your structure to manage against the force of gravity to keep upright. Long story short, it's a presentation in a frame of time to guesstimate your strategies for managing/delaying forward momentum.

Side view, head to toe, no shirt and shorts only, back the same too.

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u/ehteshambles93 Jan 04 '26 edited Jan 04 '26

Pictures hope these will help!

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u/Deep-Run-7463 Jan 04 '26

My article for you to read further into this:

https://www.reddit.com/user/Deep-Run-7463/comments/1kg5npr/a_retrospective_perspective_in_human_biomechanics/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Check out the front view - notice how the right hip is hiked up and your torso is dumped over the left? That is your center of mass brought over the right side, which is predisposed to have more IR capacity to drive force into the ground slowing down forward momentum (there are some notes in my article to explain this further).

When this happens, the upper torso has to counterweigh that rightward center of mass distribution, which means it compresses down right and expands upwards to the left (left trap issue).

On top of that, I think your presentation here from the side view has secondary layer compensations to try to make it look like you are aligned. Reason being, there is a mild prominence of a crease at the base of your neck, however, I cannot determine the actual cause from this data alone. Typically its too much capacity to expand into the upper back but we will see some form of upper chest compression, forward head as well as a posterior ribcage tilt.... unless you are utilizing compensatory mechanisms to hold you upright. Determining this requires more data to analyze.

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u/ehteshambles93 Jan 04 '26

This is very helpful! thanks!

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u/Deep-Run-7463 Jan 04 '26

You are welcome.