Kyphosis can be caused by many conditions. It can be present at birth, and affect children and adolescents. In an elderly woman, it is usually caused by a degenerative disease such as arthritis of the spine or osteoporosis. Your thoracic spine is the upper part of the back that normally curves outward. Kyphosis occurs when this area of your spine curves outward more then normal. The good news is that, with the right exercise program, you can minimize the effects of this condition. If left untreated, however, this spinal change can lead to complications.
Physical Appearance
If you have developed kyphosis, it means that you have a hunchback or slouched posture. Your shoulders may round forward and your head may be forward as well. This can affect your self esteem. It may also make dressing difficult as your clothes will not fit as well as they used to. This change to your posture can make it difficult to to do simple tasks such as combing your hair. Eventually these changes can affect your independence.
Pain
If your spine is chronically rounded you could develop low-back, mid-back, shoulder and neck pain. If the spine is abnormally rounded, your back muscles could become weak and overstretched, and your chest and shoulder muscles can tighten. Your back muscles might also become easily fatigued. A gentle stretching program is essential to help restore muscular balance.
Increased Risk of Falls
If your shoulders and head are too far forward, your weight is not distributed evenly, and imbalance results. If your kyphosis is severe, you might be unable to lift your head to look forward and see where you are going. This can increase your risk of falling and injury.
Breathing Difficulties
As the spine rounds forward, the ribcage can become constricted. This means you might not be able to take full and deep breaths. Eventually it may become painful to breathe. In addition, a severe curvature can also place pressure on the abdomen causing stomach pain.
Leg Weakness
If the curvature in your thoracic spine compresses nearby nerves, you could develop weakness and numbness in your legs and feet. This can also affect balance and your ability to move around.
