Introduction

 

Dear Reader!

Have you ever experience kyphosis?

Yes, at the beginning you don’t recognize it.

But the longer you stay sitting in front of you computer or driving your can, it starts developing.

 

And, do you know what to do with this, when it creating pressure on you lungs and your heart?

I will show you some methods and exercises, explored by me, as had this problem before I started using inversion therapy.

 

In the following sections I will give you information about Kyphosis and how it could be treated.

 

The Kyphosis is considered as a disease when the area of your back is more rounded than normal.

Yet, having a curve of more than 45 degrees is treated as an excessive. I had it and I can tell you, this was painful.

 

Usually this happens due to some degenerative issues, developmental problems, endocrine disorders, birth defects, spinal tumors and others.

 

To make the subject clearer, I will give you a short description of the Types of Kyphosis.

By using this you could recognize what type of kyphosis you have, and chose the most appropriate treatment for yourself.

 

• Postural kyphosis: This is when someone has an unevenly round hump on their back, due to a poor posture.
• The structural kyphosis: It is when the bulge on the back is not the same as the one of the postural kyphosis – it appears in many different angles.
• Congenital kyphosis: The type of primary structural kyphosis when the person is born with an abnormality of the spine.
• Scheuermann’s kyphosis: Known as a primary structural kyphosis, which affects adolescents. That becomes apparent when the front of the vertebrae cannot grow as fast as the back of the vertebrae. Thus, they turn into a wedge-shaped shape that makes the curvature of the spine excessive.

         Scheuermann’s kyphosis mainly affects the vertebral bodies in the middle part of the back.

 

• Secondary postural kyphosis:  This type of kyphosis is developed as a consequence of another state in the body that can make the spine weaker. Though, the curvature of the spine becoming more projected.

 

Let’s now see, what the causes, the symptoms, and the risks of kyphosis are, and how this could be treated.

 

Causes and Reasons

In this section I will point out the causes and reason of the two most prominent types of kyphosis – Postural Kyphosis and Structural Kyphosis.

 

Cause of Postural Kyphosis

• The postural kyphosis, which is based on the bad posture, leads to an excessive rounding of the upper back.
• That can be seen in young and elderly people.
• More commonly this arises to women than to men.
• This could, also, be detected on people slouching, leaning their backs in chairs, and when they carry heavy stuff.
• Furthermore, the sedentary lifestyle leads to a dreadful chronic kyphosis and, moreover, weakens our spine.
• I will emphasize that this, probably, is the most dangerous factor for postural kyphosis.

 

“Sitting is worse than smoking. Sitting is a disease. Sitting kills.”

 

Causes of Structural Kyphosis

The causes of structural kyphosis varied a lot more than those for the postural kyphosis.

Thereat, I will mention just some of them.

 

Here is what they are:

• Fractures;
• Osteoporosis;
• Disk degeneration;
• Scheuermann’s disease; 
• Birth defects;
• Cancer and cancer treatments;
• Spinal injury;

 

Symptoms and Results

 

Symptoms of kyphosis are usually visible and they are as follows:

• Bending the head further than the line of body;
• A large hunch or extended curve to the upper part of the back;
• Tiredness and exhaustion in back or/and legs;

 

For the defined types of kyphosis symptoms and results are:

• Postural kyphosis basically does not cause back pain. However, when there are intensive physical activities, and long time of sitting and standing in one place, can inflict ailment to people, so is to those with Scheuermann’s kyphosis.
• The mild kyphosis may not lead to obvious symptoms. Nevertheless, in some cases, as it was with me, people have complained that have a back pain and stiffness as result of the additionally curved spine.
• Symptoms of structural kyphosis are when one is not able to consciously straighten their spine.

Risks and Complications

 

People with severe kyphosis, would experience complications over the time if they do not take any action to prevent it.

That’s what I missed do and regret afterwards that I didn’t take any action to dwell this to occur at that time.

 

Complications that may occur as a result of severe kyphosis are:

• Breathing problems: severe kyphosis can exert pressure on the lungs (this was one of my main issues before some time);
• Restricted physical functions: kyphosis is associated with weakened back muscles and difficulty in performing regular tasks like walking and sitting or getting out of the chairs. Spinal cord distortion may also cause weakness in ones’ arms and legs, which could equally cause dysfunctions of the senses of balance (another hardship of mine);
• Problems with digestion: Severe kyphosis can compress the digestive tract, reducing the functionality of the acid reflux and creates difficulties with the swallowing;
• Problems with body image: Most often for adolescents, who have a rounded back or are with braces to correct the kyphosis conditions. They are becoming depressed and with lower self-esteem. Older people, likewise, with the bad body image often become socially isolated;

 

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis of kyphosis begins with a physical examination and then, if necessary, is conducted X-ray or MRI assessment. I would prefer the MRI.

The medical practitioner may ask you to lie down, so they could conclude whether your spine’s curvature is caused by a poor posture or structural problem.

When the vertebral column straightens while you are lying down, this is the evidence that your kyphosis is caused by a bad posture (postural kyphosis).

Yet, if the spine remains curved, this leads to conclusion that your kyphosis is caused by a structural problem of your spine, which could quite so be a Scheuermann’s or congenital kyphosis.

 

Treatment

I am highlighting the importance to first being acquainted with the cause of the kyphosis that you have.

This include: the degree of spinal curvature, what the initial symptoms are and the promptness of spinal cord distortion.

Knowing that, you can apply the treatment you’ll need.

Treatments for kyphosis might be:

• Physical exercises and/or medical treatment to reduce the back pain and the discomfort
• Using the back-braces
• Chiropractic treatment
• Surgery
• Inversion therapies

 

Exercises

There many types of exercises that could be appropriate for treating the kyphosis you have.

For instance: 

• We could be hanging from a bar:

• Or, as from Physiopedia is advised, we can use Swedish wall for Scheuermann’s kyphosis:

 

• Yoga, pilates, and various other sports could be prescribed by your therapist.

 

From my experience, over the time you will become aware which physical practices are the most relevant to you.

 

Medications

Over-the-counter painkillers can help to relieve the pain from kyphosis for a moment, but they could not cure it.

 

Braces for Kyphosis

The purpose of the brace, in case of kyphosis, is to prevent the growth of the spinal curve.

Teens with mild to moderate kyphosis may wear a back-brace. This would be worn while the bones are growing in order to prevent further development of the curve.

In spite of that, wearing braces rarely does provide a long-term benefit to people over the aged of 16.

Even opposite, after prolonged use, the braces could generate difficulties to their breathing, to the proper heart functioning, and to the efficient blood-circulation.

 

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractors are experts in working with the musculoskeletal system and can, thus, quickly and effectively treat kyphosis.

The main aim of chiropractic treatment is to address all the incongruities in the spine. Then, by applying the treatment, the proper alignment of the spine will be restored.

With this therapy, in my humble opinion, any pain on your back, caused by kyphosis, will melt away.

I would say that I am grateful that I had a chance to come across to such specialists.

 

Surgery

Surgical treatments are rarely demanded for Kyphosis. It is only necessary in some severe cases, when the curves are larger than 60° to 70°.

Some of the possible complications caused during or/and after surgery are:

• Spinal cord or nerve injury;
• A bone fusion (pseudarthrosis) could not be healed;
• Improvement failure;
• Medical devices/equipment eventual damage/failure;
• Infection at the site of bone transplantation, after operation;
• A random damage to nerves that pass through the spine, could lead to paralysis and additional loss of bladder and bowel function;

 

I have not undergone the spinal surgery, but from statistics I understand that those complications can lead to more operations.

Therefore, make sure you have enough information about the surgery and consider all the risks before proceeding.

Eventually, you and only you is the person who is making the final decision.

 

Recovery duration after surgery:

• Keep in mind that after the surgery, you may have to stay in the hospital for at least a week.
• After that the doctors will certainly advice you to carry a brace, to hold your spine until it is fully recovered.
• The duration is around 9 months.
• I’ve met people to whom the time for recovery was even longer.

 

How Inversion Therapy works for Kyphosis

I am convinced that the inversion therapy is one of the best methods for stopping the degeneration of the spine.

Furthermore, this counteracts additional complications.

Most importantly, with this therapy, all harmful effects from the kyphosis will disappear.

 

The tools, which are mostly used for inverting are:

• bars
• inversion boots
• inversion tables

 

In the following section I will show you some exercises on inversion table, which I’ve been using for more than 5 years:

 

1st Exercise:

• While inverting, you should relax your head, the entire spine, shoulders, blades, seat muscles, legs, ankles and feet. 
• In less than a minute, with calm and comfortable breathing, without exertion, you will start feeling the shoulders begin to sweep down, past your head.

Results:

• Little by little, you will become aware how your spine is slowly pulling out.
• Meanwhile, you will feel how the vertebrae from the lumbar through the thoracic to the cervical areas begin to line up in a straight line, without any sense of tension between them.

• In addition, you will sense how the intervertebral distances are increasing.
• This area will be filled with the necessary fluids.
• Those fluids, in turn, will recover the damaged membrane (a.k.a. ligament) between and around your vertebrae, which were distorted or disappeared due to your kyphosis.

 

The sequences for inversion that I would suggest are as follows:

1. You can start with one minute a day, in the first week.
2. Then every next week increase the time with one more minute.
3. When you become comfortable, you can stay longer in inverted position.

This is to avoid any head-dizziness.

 

2nd Exercise: 

For Kyphosis, on the Inversion Table, I would recommend employing this technique, only after having been practiced for a long period of time and you are used to being upside-down.

When our body is totally unstrained, we can now turn around, so we’re facing the table.

• At the beginning we will leave our arms on the floor.

• Then we grab the frame, on which is fixed the inversion table.

Important: our upper arms should be under the frame, the forearms – over the frame, and with hands we grab the frame.

• Simultaneously, we push on with the legs against the table till the moment when the arch on our spine is formed.
• Remain on this position for ten breaths and then release.

I suggest five repetitions.

Results: 

• With this exercise you are removing all tension and additional kyphotic curvature.

See this technique on my short video – using the link: https://youtu.be/leApdheBJvI 

 

I have also created additional tutorial with more exercises, which you can find on: https://youtu.be/U93k3clc644

 

Note: one more time – this exercise ought to be done, after you have become used to the inversion.

 

My recommendation for you: do not forget that the practice should be performed regularly. It’s like the breath – we stop breathing, we stop being. (“Use it, or lose it!”)

 

Disclaimer:

All information provided here is not intended to replace professional medical care. That’s why always follow the instructions of your healthcare professional in prior starting the inversion therapy.

 

NOTE:

• Before involving the child to any inversion practices, I would strongly urge that you first have a consultation with the child’s doctor who will determine whether it is suitable for your kid. Inversion therapy used by people under the age of 14 should be compulsory in the attendance of an adult;
• For the people with vertigo or high blood-pressure must first consult with their medical practitioner;
• Women, who are in their pregnancy, is advised to avoid inverting;
• For women after pregnancy, this therapy will be beneficial;

 

Conclusion

 

From all that has been covered, taking into consideration advantages and disadvantages of different types of therapies for kyphosis, the inversion therapy remains the most inexpensive, time-saving, the easiest and the most effective therapy of all.

I know from my own experience that once you start practicing inversion therapy, this will not only defeat your kyphosis, but will make you feel healthier, happier and with even better attitude towards yourself and others.

It’s been proved that Inversion Therapy has been well-functioning for countless people with back-pain and kyphosis, so why don’t You be one of them?