DEAR DRS. DONOHUE AND ROACH: Help, help, help. I'm getting stooped, I hate it, and I hope you can tell what I can do to keep it from getting worse. Will exercise help? — S.M. Advertisement ...

What Causes a Stooped Posture? The thoracic spine—12 vertebrae in the upper and midback—usually has a gentle curve like a backward C. When that curve deepens, your upper back hunches forward.