Spinal Curvatures

1
Spinal Curvatures
2
2 types of vertebral curvatures

• Primary curvature
• present at birth
• posterior curves
• Secondary curvature
• anterior curves

3
Spinal Curvatures

• Is an abnormal shape of the spine
• Normal spine appears straight (front view)

4
3 Types of Curvatures

• Lordosis
• Kyphosis
• Scoliosis

5
Lordosis

• Curvature of the lumbar and cervical spine
• Affects the lumbar region

6
Common names for Lordosis

• Sway back
• Hollow back
• Saddle back

7
What Causes Lordosis

• Obese people
• Weak back muscles
• Heavy abdomens
• Pregnant women
• Hip deformity (osteoarthritis)
• Kyphosis

8
Treatment

• Must be directed to the cause

9
Kyphosis

• Excessive curvature of the spine
• Hunchback
• Gradual curvature

10
Commonly Affects

• The spine behind the chest
• may affect lower or upper spine if there is an
  excessive amount bending forward

11
Associated

• Scoliosis
• Bone disorders
• osteoporosis (elderly)
• ankylosing spondylitis(arthritis)
• osteochondritis (bones of the spine)

12
Treatment

• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Reconstructive surgery
• Exercise
• ex. hamstrings

13
Scoliosis

• Curvature of the spine to one side
• on ex-ray spine looks like S or a C
• some bones may rotate making
• waist uneven
• shoulder uneven

14
Idiopathic - of unknown origin

• Often occurs during childhood
• alteration in bones
• common teen-age girls
• weakness of back muscles

15
Symptoms

• Most cases shows no symptoms
• Severe cases cause chronic back pain
• Shortness of breath

16
Prevention

• Detect scoliosis (early adolescence)
• Decide of measure to prevent severe deformity

17
Measures that can be taken

• Do nothing
• Wear a brace
• Surgery

18
Doing nothing

• Decision depended on
• age
• predicted outcome
• Teen and pre-teen not recommended

19
Wearing a brace

• Effective method to prevent from worsening
• Worn 16 or more hrs a day
• 90 effective from getting worse
• Uncomfortable
• hot
• hard
• ugly ( though not seen makes teenager
  self-conscious)
• Tend to use 23 hours a day

20
Surgery

• Reserved for teen and pre-teens
• Adults not recommended
• Use of metal rods or screws to correct spine
• Edoscopic discectomy surgery
• loosing up the spine
• Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery
• stabilizes thoracic curves

21
Interesting facts

• Scoliosis occurs in appx. 2 of women less than
  1/2 of men
• Spinal Analysis machine
• detects postural imbalances