curvature of the spine

Kyphosis

Kyphosis is curvature of the spine that causes the top of the back to appear more rounded than normal.

Everyone has some degree of curvature in their spine. However, a curve of more than 45 degrees is considered excessive.

Sometimes kyphosis doesn’t cause any symptoms other than the back appearing abnormally curved or hunched. However, in some cases the condition causes:

back pain and stiffness

tenderness of the spine

tiredness

Back pain can be particularly problematic in adults with kyphosis because the body has to compensate for the spinal abnormality.

If you have severe kyphosis, your symptoms may get worse over time. You may also have difficulty breathing and eating.

What causes kyphosis?

In kyphosis, the normal curve in the middle section of vertebral column (the thoracic vertebrae) is more curved than normal. There are a number of reasons why this might happen, including:

poor posture (postural kyphosis) – slouching, leaning back in chairs and carrying heavy bags can stretch supporting muscles and ligaments, which can increase spinal curvature

abnormally shaped vertebrae (Scheuermann’s kyphosis) – if the vertebrae don’t develop properly, they can end up being out of position

abnormal development of the spine in the womb (congenital kyphosis) – if something disrupts the spine’s normal development, two or more vertebrae sometimes fuse together

age – as people get older, their spinal curvature can be expected to increase

Kyphosis can also develop as a result of a spinal injury.

Treating kyphosis

If you have kyphosis, your treatment depends on how curved your spine is, whether you have any additional symptoms such as back pain, and the underlying causes.

Children with kyphosis may be able to be treated using non-surgical methods, such as bracing, to limit the progression of kyphosis as they grow. Treatment for mild kyphosis may not be necessary.

Kyphosis rarely requires surgical treatment. It’s only needed in some severe cases to correct the curvature of the spine.

Emotional issues

Older children with kyphosis may become concerned or embarrassed about the effect the condition has on their appearance, or having to wear a back brace.

These concerns can affect different children in different ways. Some children can become socially withdrawn and they may be reluctant to take part in activities, such as PE, where their condition may be exposed.

There are no easy answers to these problems, but it can sometimes help to reassure your child that their feelings will improve with time.

Complications

Complications of kyphosis usually only occur in more severe cases. They include:

persistent pain that can’t be controlled with medication

breathing difficulties caused by the spine compressing the lungs and airways

Occasionally, people with kyphosis can have difficulties when the nerves running through the spine become compressed or pinched. This can disrupt nerve signals and cause symptoms such as:

numbness or weakness in the arms and legs

problems with sense of balance

loss of normal bladder or bowel control

These serious complications require urgent medical attention and surgery would usually be recommended.

Can kyphosis be prevented?

Postural kyphosis can be prevented by being aware of your posture and by taking care of your back. You should encourage your child to:

avoid slouching

sit correctly – sit upright, ensuring that the small of the back is supported

avoid carrying heavy schoolbags that can pull on the back muscles and ligaments; the best schoolbags are well-designed backpacks

take regular exercise (see below) to help strengthen the back and keep it flexible; activities such as swimming, running, walking, yoga and pilates are ideal for helping to prevent back problems

Scoliosis

Some years ago I look a five week course in the Alexander technique to help me relax. The Alexander Technique “teaches people how to stop using unnecessary levels of muscular and mental tension during their everyday activities”. It is often used by people with back problems. Indeed there was a lady in the group who suffered from scoliosis and she hoped that the technique would be of assistance.

This was the first but not the last time that I have come across Scoliosis in my professional and personal life.

Scoliosis is simply an abnormal curvature of the spine. It should be noted that the effects and severity can be very different from person to person.

How common is it? Until recently it was thought that Scoliosis was a condition which developed in childhood. While 0.30% of children are born with Scoliosis it now seems that it may develop in older people but only to a very minor degree.

The causes of Scoliosis really vary but in around 80% of cases they are simply unknown. However people with Marfan syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Neurofibromatosis are all at higher risk.

Typical signs of Scoliosis are:-

1) Visible curvature of the spine. The lady at the group I was in did not have this.

2) A tendency to lean to one particular side

3) Clothes not hanging correctly

4) There are some cases of bowel and bladder problems.

Back pain seems to be common with adults with Scoliosis. You can read more about back pain at a previous blog https://patienttalk.org/?p=389.

A lot of children, with mild symptoms, simply grow out of Scoliosis. In some more severe occurrences a back brace can be used to help straighten the spine. Unfortunately this can cause body image issues especially for adolescents. It should be noted that surgery for children with Scoliosis is very rare.

With adults who have back pain various pain killers are often employed.

As well as raising awareness of Scoliosis one of the objectives of this blog post is to provide our readers with a space they can use to share their experiences.

It would be great if you could use the comments box below to tell us a bit about how Scoliosis has impacted you and your family. It would be great if you could consider the following questions:-

a) What were your signs of Scoliosis? At what age was the diagnosis of Scoliosis made?

b) Did you need treatments? How effective were these treatments?

c) Has Scoliosis had any long term effects on your lifestyle?

d) Is there one piece of advice you would give to somebody whose child has been diagnosed with Scoliosis?

There questions are really only suggestions. Anything would want to share about Scoliosis would be of great interest to our readers.

Thanks very much in advance.

Patient Talk

Patient Talk

Kyphosis – an introduction

What causes kyphosis?

Treating kyphosis

Emotional issues

Complications

Can kyphosis be prevented?

Scoliosis – what are the signs and symptoms of Scoliosis and how can it be treated?