Faulty posture and scoliosis

The term faulty posture denotes the incorrect positions of the backbone. It is a result of the improper supporting activity, incorrectly developed muscles and the attached ligaments system. Faulty posture includes three typical deformitities of the backbone: rounded back, totally rounded back, flat back.

Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the backbone, usually with the involved rotation and turn of the single vertebrae with an accompanying stiffness in the particular parts of the backbone.
Faulty posture includes three typical deformitities of the backbone: rounded back, totally rounded back, flat back.

In recent years the appearance of the faulty posture has increased substantially. Even among the population of six- year- old children approximately 20% demonstrates such faults. It allows for the anticipation that among grammar school leavers over 50% of the 14- year- old will demonstrate faulty backbone postures. This is often accompanied by the harmful conditions of the natural environment. It starts as early as the school period. Pupils carry heavy schoolbags and rucksacks. Chairs and school desks are usually not adjusted to the anatomical build of a child. School bags are carried in one hand and rucksacks on one arm only. This weakens the backbone or even causes the faulty posture. School bag weight including its content should not exceed 10% of a child’s body weight. In no event should it exceed 1/8 of the body weight. Lack of exercise, unbalanced nutrition, insufficient amounts of calcium and vitamins in a diet, all contribute to the fact that during the period of intensive growth acceleration there appears an improper relation between the static strength of the backbone and the dynamic strength of the muscles. The connective tissue of the locomotor system and supportive system do not develop at equal pace.

At the end of the XIX century in the highly industrialized countries and modern agricultural states it has been confirmed that due to the accelerated development the average height of schoolchildren and youth has increased by 5 to 10 centimeters. It is known that the so called youth kyphosis i.e. Scheuermann’s disease appears as a result of the shift of balance between the skeleton, muscles and the supporting system. Scoliosis refers to the lateral curvature of the backbone, whereas kyphosis and lordosis-are the curvatures in the saggital plane (in kyphosis – backwards, in lordosis forward).Particularly in scoliosis there is a lateral curvature of the vertebra round its own axis. The backbone shortens due to the curvatures and the whole figure of a man looks shorter. Shoulders stoop, chest becomes asymmetrical, which in turn disturbs the proper functioning of the blond circulation and the breathing process.

The life prospects of life with untreated scoliosis are not good. The crippled look worsens the quality of life. The muscles strenght deretiorates, while the backbone curvature increases. The backbone’s muscles become shorter especially on the side where it is bended. The muscles become constricted and the trick appears, as a result of which the muscles loose their flexibility. Lordosis exercises uneven load on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs of certain parts of the backbone. All the above stated has a very adverse influence on the young organism still in the process of growing.

Scheuermann’s disease (youth kyphosis)

This disease is characterized by the changes of vertebral body, especially in the thoracic part of the backbone. Sometimes observed is minor or serious herniation of the nucleus pulposus inside the vertebra bone. Together with the growth of organism, the osseous tissue can not hold the growing compression due to the improper relation between the load and the bone endurance.
The discussed disease most frequently affects young people; boys are more frequently affected as compared with girls. The disease is not always associated with pain, and may affect adults as well.

What is visible at first sight with Scheuerman’s disease?

The backbone is wrongly positioned, it becomes stiffened, and in its cervical section there is a visible intensive bending forward. In this case this is referred to as the thoracic kyphosis. The lumbar backbone is excesively bended forward. When patent lies down the hump on the back do not disappear but becomes even more visible. In the lower section of the thoracic backbone additional small hump appears on the back. It does not disappear regardless of the assumed body position or movement. At the initial stage of the Scheuermann’s disease the ailments are minor or do not appear at all. Those affected with the disease only complain of getting tired easily and moderate back pains when tired. The main reason for the youth kyphosis is not attributed to the hormonal changes but is genetically incoded. Schauermann’s disease is still most frequently observed in men population.

Source: "Pains and disease of a backbone", Bernard A. Bäker, Peter Reisky