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Posture Alignment Exercises for Ages 50+

Posture Alignment Exercises for Ages 50+ — video by Will Harlow – Over-Fifties Specialist Physio Play · 17:08

Video by Will Harlow – Over-Fifties Specialist Physio on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physiotherapist who works with over-50s teaches posture exercises: seated pelvic tilts and cat-cow, a seated chest opener, wall chin tucks, all-fours cat-cow and bird dog, with easier options for the harder moves.

  • 17 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair, wall, mat

Good forBetter postureHealthy ageing

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Step by step 10

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  1. Seated pelvic tilts: sit tall, roll the tailbone under, then tip the pelvis forward; alternate for 2–3 minutes. 1:54
  2. Seated cat-cow: hands on knees, round with the head down, then roll forward and lengthen; keep it pain-free. 3:29
  3. Chest opener: hands clasped behind the head, sit tall; to go further, take the elbows back and lift the chest. 5:40
  4. Hold it about 30 seconds; if you feel pins and needles in the arms, bring the elbows in slightly. 6:54
  5. Wall chin tucks: bottom, shoulders and head on the wall; slide the head up, draw the chin in, hold 2 seconds. 7:49
  6. Easier version: head forward of the wall, pull it back toward the wall; 10 times with a 2-second hold. 9:15
  7. Cat-cow on all fours: hands under shoulders, knees under hips; round up, then lift the tail and chest. 10:30
  8. Keep the elbows straight and hips still; with sore wrists, use fists or go onto the elbows. 11:56
  9. Bird dog level 1: neutral spine, tummy in, lift one arm and hold, then extend one leg back instead. 13:07
  10. Bird dog level 2: opposite arm and leg together, hold 3–4 seconds without the pelvis tipping. 15:21

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep elbows locked and hips over knees in cat-cow
  • For wall chin tucks, slide the head up the wall and hold two seconds
  • If an exercise causes pain, skip it

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Neck moveschin tucks on the wall, seated cat-cow
  • Shoulders moveschest opener, bird dog arm lift
  • Wrists & hands movesall-fours cat-cow and bird dog
  • Upper back movesseated and all-fours cat-cow, chest opener
  • Lower back movespelvic tilts, cat-cow, bird dog
  • Hips movespelvic tilts, bird dog leg lift
  • Knees movesall fours for cat-cow and bird dog
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Fists or forearms for sore wrists; chin tucks away from the wall to start

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Will Harlow – Over-Fifties Specialist Physio; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety