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Kyphosis, the so-called hunchback, is a condition of the spine, where the thoracic curvature is increased backward from its physiological angle of curvature.
Kyphosis can cause back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and neck stiffness as it modifies the physiological position of the head, neck, shoulders, and thorax.
Kyphosis is often associated with the head tilting forward and anterior pelvic tilt.
Kyphosis is a condition that develops mostly during teenage years, during the body’s development.
The most common causes of Kyphosis are:
Scheuermann’s Kyphosis is a structural deformity caused by wedged vertebrae (the anterior part of the vertebrae is shorter than the posterior part).
Poor posture is the most common cause of kyphosis, particularly in adolescents. It develops when the spine curves forward due to slouching or sitting with improper posture over time.
In adolescents, Kyphosys happens often when there is fast growth in the teenager with more than 10-15 cm height in one year too.
Age-related wear and tear on the spine, particularly due to conditions like osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, or vertebral fractures, can lead to kyphosis in older adults.
Thoracic muscle weakness can be a common cause of Kyphosis and more specifically, weakness of the erector spinal muscles that have to hyperextend the spine and thorax such as:
When the Kyphosis is associated with scoliosis and/or lordosis or flat spine it becomes a more serious spine condition to treat.
The best time to act with a physiotherapy plan is during the developing phase of Kyphosis, and so between 13 and 18 years old.
During this age, we have more chances to takle and fix the Kyphosis. Later diagnosis and treatment of Kyphosis become a more difficult condition to treat and fix 100%.
Malnutrition, particularly deficiencies in vitamin D or calcium, can lead to bone weakness or softening, resulting in kyphosis. Rickets, for example, can cause a curvature of the spine in children due to soft bones.
Other medical conditions, such as spinal infections (e.g., tuberculosis of the spine), tumors, ankylosing spondylitis, or neuromuscular diseases like muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, can lead to the development of kyphosis.
Spinal fractures, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae, can cause forward curvature of the spine. This is most often the result of accidents, falls, or injuries.
The best medical diagnostic to asses Kyphosis and its entity is an X-Ray.
An X-ray will show the exact entity of the thoracic curvature and its differences with the physiological thoracic spine.
The best physiotherapy plan to reduce Kyphosis is that one implements strengthening exercises for all the spinal erector muscles mentioned before.
Sometimes is good practice to reduce the tension on the antagonist muscles such as the pectoralis muscles with a sports therapy such as a sports massage.
Exercise N ° 1
Sitting on the ground, soles one against the other, hands on shoulders, elbows down. Bring your hands out and then over your head. Return to the starting position following the reverse path. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
Exercise N ° 2
In front of the Wall Bar, on your knees. The trunk bent forward at 45°, Arms up at 180 ° hold the corresponding degree.
Pull down while trying to sit on your heels and inhaling deeply.
Maintain the position for 10 sec. Return to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise 5 times.
Exercise N ° 3
Sitting on the ground, back to Wall Bars, knees bent, feet on the ground. Grasp the degree corresponding to the shoulders with the hands. Using the back muscles to form a dorsal arch by extending the back and bringing the chest forward and up and taking a deep inhalation. Maintain the position for 10 sec. Return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 3 times.
Exercise N ° 4
Sitting on the ground, back to the Wall Bars, knees bent, feet on the ground. Candlestick arms. Bring your arms up to 180 degrees while inhaling deeply. Return to the starting position by exhaling. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise N ° 5
Supine, legs bent, knees together, feet on the ground. Candlestick arms on the ground. 1st Step: inhale deeply. 2nd Step: voluntary apnea of 5 sec. 3rd Step: slowly exhale as far as possible. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise N ° 6
Sitting on the ground, soles one against the other. Candlestick arms, hold a stick. Maintain the position for 10 sec. Then bring the stick up by extending the elbows and inhaling deeply. Maintain the new position for 10 sec. Return to the starting position by exhaling. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise N ° 7
Sitting on the ground, soles one against the other. Candlestick arms, hold a stick. Rotate the trunk to the right while inhaling. Return to the starting position, exhaling. Then turn to the left while inhaling. Return to the starting position, exhaling. Repeat the exercise 10 times on the right and left.
Exercise N ° 8
Prone. Rest the forehead on the back of the crossed hands. Slightly lift your arms, head and chest off the ground. Maintain the position for 10 sec. Return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 5 times.
Exercise N⁰9
Supine, with rod or barbell to the chest, extend the arms while exhaling deeply, return to the starting position by inhaling deeply. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise N⁰10
Supine, arms stretched along the torso, holding a rod or barbell with a tight grip, extend the arms to 180⁰ while inhaling deeply, return to the starting position by exhaling deeply. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise N⁰11
Supine, arms extended along the torso, holding a rod or barbell with a wide grip, extend the arms to 180⁰ while inhaling deeply, and return to the starting position by exhaling deeply. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise N ° 1
Prone, arms abducted to 90 °, lift the arms off the ground by taking a deep breath in.
Perform the exercise with 10 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 2
Supine, arms joined at 90 ° above the chest, bring one arm at a time to the ground, make a deep inhalation, and return to the starting position by exhaling (with an elastic band).
Perform the exercise with 20 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 3
Repeat exercise N° 2 with a gym ball resting under the back.
Exercise N ° 4
Prone, arms extended 180 ° above the head, raise the right arm and left leg from the ground at the same time. Repeat the exercise with opposite limbs. Perform the exercise with 20 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 5
Supine, arms extended along the body, 1st Step: bend the elbow at 90 degrees; 2nd Step: rotate the hands 180 degrees reaching the candlestick position; 3rd Step: extend both hands above your head ( 180 Degrees ).4th Step: return to the starting position by repeating the three steps in reverse.
Repeat the exercise with 10 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 6
Prone, arms extended 180 ° above your head, raise both arms and legs off the ground at the same time.
Perform the exercise without arching the lumbar area too much.
Perform the exercise with 10 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 7
Supine, arms joined at 90 ° above the chest, bring both arms to the ground by taking a deep inhalation and return to the starting position by exhaling (with elastic band). Perform the exercise with 20 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 8
Repeat exercise N ° 7 with the gym ball resting under the back.
Exercise N ° 9
On all fours, feet together, arms resting slightly wider and forward of the shoulders, carry out push-ups on the arms lowering the chest to the ground.
Perform the exercise with 10 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N ° 10
Supine, arms abducted at 45°, lift the body off the ground by leaning with the heels and shoulders on the ground without arching the lumbar area too much.
Perform the exercise with 10 repetitions for 2 series.
Exercise N⁰11
Back to the Wall Bars, hands in a wide grip on the wall bars at chest height.
1st Step: fully extend your arms lowering your body; 2nd Step: distance your feet 50-60 cm from the wall bars; 3rd Step: maintain the position for 15-20 seconds.
Repeat the exercise for 5 times.
As these exercises mentioned above are very specific and require a correct posture, our specialized physiotherapist in London can help you to execute correctly these exercises.
More complex and case-specific exercises will be added by our physiotherapist for the best postural physiotherapy plan.
Once you are used to executing these exercises correctly you can continue by yourself at home.
As Kyphosis is very often associated with the head tilted forward it would be good practice to adjust your posture at the desk and avoid looking with the head down at the phone as the head’s weight can increase until five-fold with the neck inclination of 60 degrees.
4 Reply on “The best physiotherapy to fix kyphosis (hunchback)”
Una pregunta, cómo son los brazos “en forma de vela”?