What it means
Shoulders sitting in front of the trunk line, pulling the scapula away from the chest wall.
Where it comes from
A short chest with weak scapular stabilisers.
How it is measured
It is measured on the side view, in the sagittal plane. The defining measurement is Shoulders rolled forward (Scapular protraction), and it is reported as a finding from above 3 cm. The number is computed from landmarks on that photograph — not estimated by eye, and not compared against a stock example.
What the numbers mean
| Measurement | Grade |
|---|---|
| up to 3 cm | Within normal range |
| 3–5 cm | Mildly rounded |
| 5–8 cm | Moderately rounded |
| 8 cm and above | Severely rounded |
Source of the bands: Photographic acromion-to-plumb offset; conventional 3 cm threshold
What is usually seen alongside it
- Rounded upper back (Thoracic kyphosis) — above 45°
- Where the head sits over the shoulder (Craniovertebral angle) — below 50°
None of these is a diagnosis on its own. Together they corroborate the finding; apart, they do not refute it — a measurement nobody took counts neither for nor against.
What confirms it
Measured independently of height as the acromion-to-table distance in supine lying.
Every number on this page is measured on the skin surface in a photograph. That is not the same as a measurement taken on a radiograph: it correlates with one and does not replace it. Wherever the decision depends on imaging, this page and the report itself say so.
What happens at the clinic
The assessment starts with three standing photographs — front, side and back. Every angle is measured on those photographs, the report prints the number and the grade for each, and the exercise programme is built from those numbers rather than from a template. Posture analysis explains the whole path, and the online assessment can be started from your own photograph now.
Frequently asked questions
At what point is rounded and protracted shoulders reported?
When shoulders rolled forward (scapular protraction) is above 3 cm, it is reported as a finding. That is where the "Mildly rounded" band begins. The bands come from: Photographic acromion-to-plumb offset; conventional 3 cm threshold
Can rounded and protracted shoulders be assessed from a photograph?
A photograph gives a number, which most assessments do not have. But it is a surface measurement and it does not replace imaging. Measured independently of height as the acromion-to-table distance in supine lying.
What is the most severe grade?
The worst band in this table is "Severely rounded". The grade is printed beside the measurement itself in the report, so it is always clear which number produced the word.