Scheuermann’s disease is a developmental disorder that causes patients to have a stooped forward or bent-over posture as a result of excessive kyphosis of the thoracic spine. This condition affects between 0.5% and 8% of the general population, and is more common in boys than in girls. Scheuermann’s disease is caused by more than bad posture, and there are several clinical and radiographic findings that are typical in this disease that help to differentiate Scheuermann’s kyphosis from postural kyphosis.
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT
Early treatment is important to try to stop the curve from becoming worse. The type of treatment you receive will depend upon the cause of your kyphosis.
A spine fracture may contribute to a kyphotic curve. Fractures may be treated with various methods, including bed rest, and pain management (analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs).
If your kyphosis is caused by poor posture, there are exercises you can do to make the muscles in the spine stronger. A physical therapist will teach you these exercises and show you how to correct your posture.
Kyphosis caused by a structural problem is often treated by wearing a special brace. The brace can help control pain and help slow or stop the curve’s progression. There are different types of braces, and your doctor will carefully select the appropriate option for you. The brace will then be custom-fitted to your body, to ensure that it fits you comfortably.
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
Surgery for abnormal kyphosis is usually the last treatment option tried; non-surgical treatments, such as physical therapy, should be tried first. If the pain and other symptoms don’t lessen after several months of non-surgical treatments, the doctor may suggest surgery.
Other criteria taken into consideration for abnormal kyphosis surgery are:
Surgery for abnormal kyphosis has several main goals:
Based on these goals and your particular case, the surgeon will make the best recommendation for surgery.
Some typical surgeries used for kyphosis are:
