KYPHOSIS

Kyphosis is a dangerous disease not only in young children, but also in the elderly . While scoliosis usually does not cause a real health problem, kyphosis itself can be life-threatening, although it is less well known .

Kyphosis is a condition in which the spine curves forward. In fact, the spine is already curved forward ( kyphotic ) in the back region and a hollow ( lordotic ) appearance in the lumbar region. Here, kyphosis occurs when the forward curvature of the back rises above the normal (more than 50-60 degrees) or the cupping in the waist is corrected (below 15 degrees) or disappears .

Kyphosis , What Causes Abnormal Kyphosis ?

When we look at the spine from the back, we see that it is a straight column consisting of the vertebrae lined up on top of each other and having a projection that passes right through the middle of the head and pelvis.

When we look at the human spine from the side, we see that there is no such straight line and that each of the vertebrae has physiological curvatures formed by making an angle with each other. For example , while there is a kyphosis (humpback) in our chest and back region, there is a dimple in our waist region following this.

Kyphosis in the chest and back area of people varies widely among people. In other words, as you have observed around you, some people stand more hunched while others stand more upright. This hump has a physiologically accepted dimensional limit.

This limit varies between 20 degrees and 55 degrees in an angle measurement to be made on the lateral radiograph taken in a comfortably standing position. In other words, the kyphosis of a person with 20 degree kyphosis and a person with 55 degree kyphosis are considered within normal limits. Therefore, it is perfectly normal for any member of a family to be more or less hunchbacked than another individual.

Postural (Due to Poor Posture) or Positional Humpback?

positional hump that the hump ( kyphosis ) of a person with kyphosis of 35 degrees in physiological standing, which we have just described , increases to 55 degrees, for example , due to bad posture . This is the most common reason for the humpback complaint that families see in their children .

Structural Hump or Schuermann What is Kyphosis ?

Structural hump is a hump that is above 55 degrees even in physiological standing, and often occurs due to an underlying bone or soft tissue pathology.

This hump can be attributed to congenital spinal anomalies ( congenital kyphosis ), some bone diseases (skeletal dysplasia , neurofibromatosis, etc.), spine infection (spine tuberculosis, etc.) or various nerve and muscle diseases that can occur due to damage to the vertebrae due to spinal fractures.

However, the most common cause of structural hump in growing patients is the humpback, which is defined as Schuermann's disease, which occurs when the vertebrae lose their rectangular shape and become triangular, due to an unknown cause. If Schuermann's disease is not treated, it can result in an increase in the hump and reach dangerous dimensions.