What is Hyperkyphosis?
Hyperkyphosis is a condition characterized by an excessive forward rounding of the upper back/middle or lower back, leading to a hunched or curved posture.
Here are different presentations of Hyperkyphosis
Common Symptoms of Hyperkyphosis
Neck pain
Shoulder pain, stiffness/tightness
Headache in the occipital and temporal regions
Mid back pain
Lower back pain
Poor posture
In some cases, there are also symptoms such as ……
Chest pain
Difficulty breathing (Hard to take a full deep breath)
Balance Problems
Height loss
Who are more at risk ?
Over the age of 60
Female
Osteopenia/Osteoporosis
History of Compression fracture(s)
Adolescent Mild Scoliosis
Poor posture overtime.
How do I know if I have Hyperkyphosis ?
First, you can look at their posture when they are standing, the picture right is a balanced posture where the center of the ear is on top of the shoulder, shoulder on top of the hip. The picture left is has a postural imbalance. The center of the ear is far forward relative to the shoulder and most of the time their hips will be tilted backward as well.
Secondary, Ask the person to have their palms facing each other and bend forward until it points to the ground. This is one of the screening test to identify “Structural Hyperkyphosis” If the individual finds out there is a visible hump , please reach out to Dr. Lam.
Thirdly, This is another test to identify hyperkyphosis. Have the individual standing with their back against the wall, the hips and back should be touching the wall.
If the distance between the back of head and the wall is more than 5 cm, it indicates there is a high chance to have hyperkyphosis.
When the rounding of the mid back increases, the head will be pushed forward and further away from the wall.
What are the treatments for Hyperkyphosis ?
Non-surgical treatments for hyperkyphosis aim to improve spinal alignment and posture through corrective chiropractic care, which may include specific postural spinal adjustments, multi-directional traction, and specific postural exercises.
At Victoria Chiropractor Dr. Jerry Lam, who is a Chiropractic Biophysics certified chiropractor and also a ScoliBalance (Postural Specific Exercise) advanced provider, whether you are dealing with hyperkyphosis or other structural spinal deformities, our team is dedicated to providing professional and effective care to support your spinal health.
Research:
The CBP® mirror image® approach to reducing, thoracic hyperkyphosis: a retrospective case series of 10 patients
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6110211/
Treating ‘slouchy’ (hyperkyphosis) posture with chiropractic biophysics®: a case report utilizing a multimodal mirror image® rehabilitation program
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5574330/
REDUCING THORACIC HYPERKYPHOSIS SUBLUXATION DEFORMITY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF CHIROPRACTIC BIOPHYSICS® METHODS EMPLOYED IN ITS STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENT
Reversing thoracic hyperkyphosis: a case report featuring mirror image® thoracic extension rehabilitation
