Whether you call it slouching or kyphosis, it’s a noticeable curve in your upper back. Kyphosis – the technical anatomical tem – is a forward curve of the upper spine that causes a bowing of the back and gives the appearance of a rounded back.
In addition to having a rounded back, you may have these other symptoms:
? Mild to severe back pain
zack pain with movement
? Fatigue
? Tenderness and stiffness in the spine
? Forward posture of the head
? Chest pain or difficulty breathing (severe cases)
? Difference in shoulder height
? Tight hamstrings (muscles in the back of your thigh)
A healthy spine is supposed to have some kyphosis in the upper back. n fact, in the healthy spine there is slight ‘S’ curve in the spine when viewed from the side created by the natural curves of the spine. Ideally the neck arches back, the upper back is slightly rounded forward (kyphosis), and the lower back arches back.
However when the spine curves too much forward (hyper-kyphosis), it creates the appearance of a hump.
Most often, kyphosis affects the thoracic spine, which is the middle/upper part of your back. However, on occasion the kyphosis develops in the cervical spine (neck area), or in the lumbar spine (low back area). When kyphosis is found in the neck or low back it usually is the result of past trauma, muscle spasm, or an anomaly in the spine structure. From a biomechanical viewpoint, a spine with kyphosis in the wrong areas will be more prone to fatigue, injury and premature degenerative changes.
There are two different kinds of kyphosis. The first type, postural kyphosis, is caused by bad posture and can be corrected by the patient. The vast majority of cases of kyphosis seen in the chiropractic office tend to be reversible, as they are caused by postural faults.
The second type is caused by a structural disorder with which some people are born. It is termed a congenital kyphosis, and cannot be altered without surgical treatment. It is caused by either missing or incompletely formed parts of the spine. During a growth period, a person with a vertebra that has not formed correctly may develop a pronounced kyphotic curve. If the curve becomes severe it may press on the spinal nerves and cause pain.
Healthy vertebrae are approximately rectangular-shaped and stacked one on top of another. Disease or fractures can damage the vertebrae. For example, a compression fracture causes vertebrae to lose its normal shape and to form a wedge shape (like a crushed pop-can). These wedge shaped vertebrae can contribute to an atypical curve in the spine.
There are, unfortunately, a number of diseases that can cause kyphosis. These diseases range from types of connective tissue disorders, muscular dystrophy, tumors, and disc degeneration.
Scheuermann’s disease is a type of kyphosis that occurs in children. It develops in the thoracic region of the spine. Scheuermann’s kyphosis occurs when the front and back of the vertebrae doesn’t grow as fast as the back of the vertebrae. Some children begin to develop this type of kyphosis between the ages of 12 and 15 – generally a period of bone growth. It is not know why some children develop this disease.
Early treatment is important to try to stop the curve from becoming worse. The type of treatment you receive will depend upon the cause of your kyphosis.
If the kyphosis is caused by poor posture, there is much that can be done to improve the condition. This type of kyphosis doesn’t usually progress beyond a certain degree.
Exercises to strengthen the back, postural training and chiropractic adjustments to improve joint mobility can all help. Often a review of the workplace ergonomics is helpful to ensure bad work habits are not contributing to the problem.
Kyphosis caused by a structural problem is often treated by wearing a special brace, or as a last resort surgery. The brace can help control pain and help slow or stop the curve’s progression.
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