The reality is that stretching and exercising aren’t going to get rid of a buffalo hump. Anything that improves your posture, however, can help you decrease the appearance of the hump.
It’s also true that excess cortisol in the body can cause a buffalo hump. This hormone is associated with many things, but one of them is stress. If practices like yoga, stretching, and exercise help to calm you, they could help to reduce the amount of cortisol in your system. It’s unlikely you can reduce the cortisol enough to cure buffalo hump, but stress reduction techniques certainly won’t hurt you and may be worth trying.
Buffalo hump fat doesn’t respond well to exercise because fat never really does. While a good cardio program can help you burn fat and reduce it overall, it doesn’t target specific areas of your body. Weight training and exercises that do focus on specific areas are designed to build muscle and strength. Building muscle is great for toning your body, but it doesn’t melt away fat.
Although exercises aren’t likely to eliminate a buffalo hump, they can help strengthen the muscles around the hump. Doing so may help alleviate any pain or discomfort the hump is causing. There are many exercises and stretches you can try.
To perform this simple exercise, stand facing a wall but at a diagonal angle. Place your elbow and forearm against the wall and then rotate your body away from it until you feel a stretch. Hold the pose for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
Lie on your stomach on the floor. Place your hands down by your sides with your palms down. Pull your shoulder blades together and try to push them down towards your feet. Lift your hands up about an inch off the ground while holding your shoulder blades in place. Hold the position for 30 seconds.
Sit or stand up straight. Place two fingers on your chin and gently push it straight back. The goal is not to push the chin down but to lever the entire neck back. Hold for 30 seconds.
Stand up straight with your arms at your sides. Release any tension in your shoulders before rolling them forward 12 times. When you’re finished, reverse directions and roll your shoulders backward 12 times. Do at least 3 reps.
Stand facing a wall and place both of your hands on the wall at about shoulder height. Rock your hips backward so you have some room and then slowly bend at the waist, keeping your spine straight and your hands on the wall. Bend as far as you can until you feel a stretch. Slowly stand back up. Do 10 reps.
Stand up straight and extend both arms over your head so your body makes a “Y” shape with your palms facing forward. Keep your elbows straight while pulling your arms backward. Hold the pose for 30 seconds. Return to the starting position, this time bending your elbows so your body is shaped like a “W.” Try and point your elbows toward the ground and then pull your arms back. Hold for 30 seconds. One more time, return to your starting position. Extend your arms out to your sides with your palms facing forward and your elbows straight like a letter “T.” Pull your arms back and hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Taken from yoga, this stretch is a great way to strengthen your upper back. Lie on your stomach and place your hands under your shoulders with your palms flat on the floor. Gently apply pressure to your palms, lifting your upper back and bending it backward while pushing your knees into the floor. Hold the pose for 30 seconds before releasing.