Scoliosis,+Kyphosis,+and+Lordosis

What is Kyphosis?
Kyphosis is the forward rounding of the vertebrae in your thoracic spine. [|kyphosis.jpg]
 * rounding is usually more than 50 degrees
 * =====spine may look normal or can develope a hump=====
 * =====can occur as a result of developmental problems; degenerative diseases, osteoporosis with compression fractures of the vertebrae, or trauma to the spine=====
 * =====mild cases may cause few problems=====
 * severe cases can affect lungs, nerves, and other tissues and organs
 * can effect all age

Symptoms

 * slouching posture or hunchback
 * mild to severe pain
 * spinal stiffness or tenderness
 * fatigue
 * forward posture of the head
 * differences in shoulder height

Postural kyphosis:
> often accompanied by hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine
 * usually appears in adolescence
 * more commonly found in girls
 * caused by poor posture and a weakening of the muscles and ligaments in the back
 * slouching when standing or sitting causes spine to curve forward
 * easily corrected by education of proper posture

Scheuermann's kyphosis:

 * usually appears in adolescence
 * slightly more common in boys
 * affects the shape of the vertebral bodies in the mid back
 * front several vertebral bodies become narrow
 * affected bones appear wedged shaped
 * causes are unknown
 * tends to run in the family

Congenital kyphosis:

 * means a person is born with some sort of defect, such as incomplete formation of the spine
 * can lead to a severe abnormal kyphosis
 * Several vertebrae may be fused together or the bones may not form properly
 * becomes worse as child grows
 * in some cases it may lead paralysis of the lower body

Disorders that may cause a curvature of the spine in adults, resulting in kyphosis, include:

 * Osteoporosis
 * Degenerative arthritis of the spine
 * Connective tissue disorders
 * Tuberculosis and other infections
 * Cancer or benign tumors
 * Conditions that cause paralysis