Kyphosis Treatment

Kyphosis Treatment

Find advanced and non-surgical kyphosis therapy at Painflame Clinic. Expert physiotherapy and individualised chiropractic programs can help you correct your posture, alleviate lower back pain and help restore the spine’s natural alignment.

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What is Kyphosis?

Kyphosis can be described as an exaggerated forward rounding of the upper back, resulting in an exaggerated hunchback or slouching position. The human spine naturally curves in the thoracic area in order to absorb shocks and help support an individual’s weight; a thoracic curve that exceeds 45-50 degrees is thought to be clinically significant.

The spine is made up of intervertebral discs, muscles, ligaments and tendons all working together to keep your body in position. If the structure of this is changed by structural alterations or muscle imbalances, then the upper section of the back bends too forward. This shift in structure can alter the body’s centre of gravity and place a huge mechanical strain on your muscles and joints.

If kyphosis is not treated, it causes the curve of the spine to gradually get worse. As time passes, it can lead to chronic muscle fatigue, persistent stiffness and structural changes that are more difficult to reverse. Finding early treatment aids in restoring the proper alignment of your spine, stops permanent joint degeneration and ensures your spine stays mobile and free of pain.

Common Causes of Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a result of a variety of physical, psychological, or congenital issues. Knowing the root cause of the problem is crucial to developing an effective treatment strategy.

• Postural Misalignment: Hours spent hunching over phones, computers or at desks can weaken upper back muscles. They also pull the chest inwards, eventually forcing the spine into a round.
• Scheuermann’s disease: This condition is a result of a developmental process that occurs as adolescent growth spurts begin. Vertebrae are shaped unevenly. They form a wedge shape rather than a regular rectangular form, leading to the appearance of a stiff spine curve.
• Degenerative Disc Disease: As our bodies age, the discs of the spine that cushion the vertebrae lose moisture and shrink. A decrease in the disc’s size causes the spine to move forward.
• Osteoporosis and compression fractures: Age-related bone thinning reduces the strength of vertebrae. These vertebrae are highly vulnerable to compression fractures and micro-fractures that can cause the vertebrae of the upper back to weaken and collapse.
• Congenital Spinal Defects: This occurs when the spinal column fails to form properly within the womb. It causes babies to have an abnormally shaped spine.
• Muscular Imbalances and Core Weakness: Weakness in the abdominal muscles, rhomboids, and the muscles of the erector spinae, prevents your body from maintaining the body in a straight position when compared to gravity.
• Sports-Related Strain: Forward-leaning motions that are repeated for certain sports with inadequate stretching can affect thoracic flexibility.
• Traumatic spinal injuries: Broken bones, falls that are severe, or accidents in the car which compromise the structural strength of the spinal vertebrae in the thoracic region can cause the development of a secondary deformity.

Symptoms of Kyphosis

Kyphosis manifests itself through noticeable postural shifts and a myriad of physical discomforts which get worse during the course of the day.

• Rounded shoulders, or Hunchbacks: A prominent, visible curve on the back of the upper part, usually accompanied by a forward-looking, inward-facing head posture.
• Persistent upper back pain: Chronic soreness or aching in the thoracic spine due to overstretched muscles and stretched ligaments.
• The spine is stiff and has reduced mobility: Difficulty standing completely upright or twisting the torso comfortably.
• Tingling, or Numbness: In difficult structural situations, spinal nerves that are compressed may cause discomfort radiating to the back or even to the arms.
• Breathing Problems: Severe curvature compresses the chest cavity, which limits the lungs’ full expansion, causing breath shortness.

When to See a Specialist for Kyphosis

• The curve of the spine is clearly increasing in rigidity or getting worse with time.
• The back pain can hinder your ability to do your daily tasks, work, or sleep.
• The sensation of constant numbness or the sensation of tingling or weakness in your arms, legs, or torso.
• It is possible to feel shortness of breath or chest tightness when you sit or walk.
• Conscious attempts to stand straight don’t flatten or change the curve of the spine.
• Adolescents show signs of an abrupt change in posture during an increase in height.

Diagnosis of Kyphosis

Accurate diagnosis is important to differentiate between postural and structural kyphosis. This allows us to develop a unique recovery pathway. 

• A Comprehensive Physical Evaluation: Comprehensive evaluation of your spine curvature, and shoulder alignment and the position of your pelvis.
• Dynamic Posture Analysis: Observing spinal mechanics when you stand, sit or walk.
• Spinal Flexibility and Mobility Assessments: The measurement of the exact movement range in the thoracic spine, and testing whether you have tight muscles.
• Specialised Orthopaedic Examinations: Standard Tests like those in the Adam’s Forward Bend Test assist in distinguishing soft postural curves from stiff structural deformities.
• Digital X-Ray Imaging: Standing full-spine X-rays enable doctors to determine the exact Cobb angles of the thoracic curvature and observe the anatomy of individual vertebrae.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Requested when there is a suspicion of spinal cord involvement or soft tissue abnormalities are thought to be present.

Kyphosis Treatment at Painflame Clinic

At the Painflame Clinic, we utilise the most comprehensive and non-surgical treatment to slow the development of kyphosis. We also relieve the pain and help restore the alignment of your spine.

Physiotherapy for Kyphosis

The targeted physical therapy is the basis of non-surgical kyphosis treatment. Our therapists design customised workout plans that help lengthen those muscles that are tight in the anterior, including the pectoral muscles. They also work on strengthening the spinal stabilisers in the deep. This balances out the pull upon the spine and can help maintain an upright position.

Manual Therapy

Hands-on manual therapy is essential for the releasing rigid joints and tight myofcial structures. Our professionals employ precise mobilisation of the thoracic joints and spinal manipulation and deep tissue release to reduce stiffness, improve mobility of segments and aid in correcting posture.

Electrotherapy

For the treatment of localised inflammation and muscle aching, we use the most advanced electrotherapy techniques. Therapies such as Interferential Therapy (IFT), TENS and therapeutic ultrasound assist in alleviating pain, improving local circulation, and calming the muscles that are hyperactive, which allows you to complete rehabilitation exercises in a comfortable way.

Rehabilitation Exercises

For true spinal correction, you must engage in functional rehabilitation. The treatment we provide patients includes targeted stretching exercises and scapular stabilisation exercises and routines for core strength. These exercises work on the deep postural muscles in order to keep the correct alignment of the spine all day long.

Ergonomic & Posture Correction

The long-term health of your body depends on the changes in your routine. We offer customised ergonomic evaluations for your driving station, workstation configuration, and sleep arrangements. Biofeedback education teaches you to ensure the alignment of your spine during daily tasks and prevent recurrence of symptoms.

How to Prevent Kyphosis Progression

• Keep ergonomic workspaces in place
• Regularly take breaks from movement
• Build Strength in Core and Upper Back Muscles
• Perform Mindful Posture Check-ins
• Integrate daily chest stretches
• Keep optimal bone health