Common Causes And Complications Of Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a common condition characterized by irregular rounding that occurs in the upper spine. While a small upper spine curve is normal, kyphosis is an excessive curve in the back that can result in various long-term issues throughout the body. This curve is not the same side to side curve seen in scoliosis patients. Instead, it is a curve that moves from back to front. Many individuals with kyphosis do not experience any symptoms. Others may experience tight hamstrings, upper back stiffness, and a rounded back.

In particularly severe cases of kyphosis, a patient may experience numbness or weakness in the legs and the arms, difficulty breathing, loss of bladder control, and persistent severe back pain. The treatment for kyphosis focuses on the prevention of curve progression and restoration of normal posture through physical therapy and or surgery. Several factors can cause an individual to develop kyphosis.

Disk Degeneration

Disk degeneration occurs when changes take place in the spinal disks due to wear and tear. The spinal disks are comparable to shock absorbers that sit between the spinal bones. These disks cushion and protect the vertebrae from scraping and rubbing against each other. These spinal disks also allow the back to be flexible so an individual can bend and twist their body normally and comfortably. However, as some individuals age, these disks start to break down and do not function the way they should. Numerous factors can cause the disks in the spine to shrink such as drying out or cracking of the discs.

This breakdown or shrinkage results in the vertebrae or bones in the spine rubbing directly against one another. The friction and lack of cushioning between the bones can allow them to begin to thin out easily. When the vertebrae thin out, they tend to start tipping forward. At first, this wear and tipping of the spinal vertebrae may result in the spine becoming unstable. However, as this condition progressively worsens, it causes more of the disks to thin out and tip forward in a gradual chain reaction. When many disks become tipped forward, an abnormal curvature of the spine or kyphosis develops.

Scheuermann's Disease

Scheuermann's disease is a childhood skeletal disorder in which the vertebrae or bones of the spine develop unevenly. This disorder is a developmental form of kyphosis, meaning it happens during an individual's growth. The unevenness that occurs in Scheuermann's disease is characterized by vertebral growth that exhibits a posterior angle greater than its anterior angle. This uneven development results in the vertebrae becoming shaped like a wedge. The compounding structure of several wedge-shaped vertebrae is what triggers kyphosis. Kyphosis caused by this disease is referred to as Scheuermann's kyphosis.

The cause of Scheuermann's disease is related to mutations of specific genes. Scheuermann's kyphosis usually results in a considerably worse deformity than those that occur in kyphosis cases caused by other factors. This type of kyphosis is best treated when a child is young enough to where the use of a back brace and physical therapy can stop or reverse the condition before it becomes progressively severe. In other cases, this disease cannot be successfully treated with the use of physical therapy and back braces, so surgical procedures to stabilize the spine may be necessary.