Over the years, she has had multiple stylistic makeovers, transitioning from the curly-haired bohemian kid to the edgy artist with a bleach blonde bob and a strong lip. 

However, social media users’ attention has been drawn to a recent, subtle shift in Taylor Swift’s evolution: her newly straightened posture.

Hundreds of physiotherapists and fitness professionals have shared their opinions on Instagram and TikTok over the notable alteration in the megastar’s standing stance.

In the meantime, admirers speculate about the cause of Swift’s slouched posture on social media sites like Reddit. Some have drawn comparisons between Swift’s hunch and that of the fictitious Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. 

 Photographs from 2010 to 2015 depict the 34-year-old record breaking performer with a slightly bent back, but more recent photos from the Eras tour, from which she is rumoured to have earned over $4 billion, reveal a striking makeover.

What then accounts for her newly ideal posture? 

Swift is between 5’10 and 5’11” tall, and according to one so-called “Postural Alignment Specialist” on TikTok, Posture Mike, he has a “rounded upper back,” which can cause the head to swing forward, giving the appearance of a hump. 

In severe situations, this is referred to medically as kyphosis, in which the thoracic vertebrae—the central region of the spinal column—curve more than normally. 

Posture Mike describes how this causes our spine to strain under the weight of our heads, which is similar to an 18 kg bowling ball, endangering the nearby bones and ligaments in a video that has received one million views. 

He continues by offering posture correction techniques, such as resting on your back, taking deep belly breaths, and bending your knees 90 degrees over a block or stool.