Kyphosis in the Adolescent and Young Adult

Kyphosis in the Adolescent and Young Adult

Introduction

The normal spine, when viewed from behind, appears straight throughout its entire length. However, when one looks at the spine from the side, there are two visible curvatures. There is a gentle rounding of the upper back from the shoulders to the bottom of the ribcage known as thoracic kyphosis and an opposite curve in the lower back known as lumbar lordosis. These two opposite curvatures of the spine are necessary in the normal spine to balance the trunk and head over the pelvis.

A normal thoracic spine extends from the 1st to the 12th vertebra and should have a slight kyphosis ranging from 20° to 45°. When the "roundness" of the upper spine increases past 45° it is called "hyperkyphosis". Scheuermann's kyphosis is the most classic form of hyperkyphosis and is the result of wedged vertebrae that develop during adolescence. The cause is not currently known and the condition appears to be multi-factorial and is seen more frequently in males than females.

Continue to Scheuermann's Kyphosis/Disease »
The Scoliosis Research Society provides information on these web pages regarding research and links as a public service. The SRS believes that patients should contact their treating physician about the relevance of any information listed on the site prior to proceeding with any particular treatment. Just as no two individuals are exactly alike, no two patients with a spinal deformity are the same. Therefore, your spinal deformity surgeon will be the most important source of information about the management of your particular spinal problem.