The Importance of Posture: Kyphosis

I find these times interesting when it comes to addressing the human body and improving its function. On one hand, you find the pain experts, which speak of posture as the least of their concern. On the other, you can speak to any posturologist and they will insist that the body performs better when aligned. I truly wonder what an engineer would say, actually.

It is known that kyphosis is a condition that impairs mobility, and increases the risk of falls and fractures. I would take it that this is easy to understand when considering the mechanical aspect of a kyphosis and its effects on the structure.

Possible causes for a kyphosis include muscle weakness, degenerative disc disease, or other genetically determined processes. When one speaks of muscle weakness, one can think of muscle imbalances. In the context of Posturology, we have noticed that is not rare to find a flat foot that is associated with a kyphosis. The theory goes as follows: as the mid foot collapses, as to keep gaze aligned on the horizon, the shoulders need to hunch.

Kyphosis is more than a mechanical reality; it bears its load of consequences on various accounts. It has been shown to have detrimental effects on physical performance, the ability to perform activities of daily living, and overall quality of life.

Kyphosis is associated with self-reported decline in physical functioning. Precisely, women with kyphosis report more physical difficulty, more adaptations to their lives, and greater generalized fears than women without hyperkyphosis.

To add to it, hyperkyphosis is also associated with poorer satisfaction with subject health, family relationships, economic conditions, and their lives in general.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, hyperkinetic posture has been associated with increased mortality, with higher mortality rates associated with the severity of kyphosis.

Considering that posturologists have been having a positive impact on kyphosis for years to live optimally, maybe it’s time you consult one!