diff --git a/src/PoseManager.cpp b/src/PoseManager.cpp
index 41351b6..b1a0412 100644
--- a/src/PoseManager.cpp
+++ b/src/PoseManager.cpp
@@ -157,9 +157,12 @@ void PoseManager::applyPose() {
         osg::Quat newRot = bindRot * pose.rotation;
         osg::Vec3 newTrans = bindTrans + pose.translation;
 
-        // Build clean TRS matrix — no manual scale baking which causes shear
-        bone->setMatrix(
-            osg::Matrix::rotate(newRot) *
+        // rotate * translate is wrong (rotates around world origin).
+        // The bind matrix already encodes the local-space pivot correctly,
+        // so just pre-multiply the bind matrix by the rotation delta.
+        // This rotates the bone around its own local origin (joint pivot).
+        osg::Matrix rotDelta; rotDelta.makeRotate(pose.rotation);
+        bone->setMatrix(rotDelta * bind);
             osg::Matrix::translate(newTrans));
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file