Clinical Importance and Measurement in Thoracic Kyphosis

흉추 후만증에 관한 임상적 중요성과 측정법

Thoracic kyphosis is occasionally used to describe someone with accentuated thoracic curvature, hyperkyphosis is preferred since kyphosis itself refers to the normal sagittal angle of thoracic curvature. The angle of thoracic kyphosis tends to increase with age resulting in hyperkyphosis in some individuals. The persons who suffer from hyperkyphosis are at increased risk for a variety of adverse health outcomes that include musculoskeletal alteration, physical functional limitations, poor quality of life, falls, and even earlier mortality. Hyperkyphosis may develop from vertebral fractures, degenerative disc disease, either muscle weakness, decreased mobility and sensory deficits. The gold-standard orthopaedic technique for assessment of thoracic kyphosis is standing lateral spine radiographs. Other clinical measures are Debrunner kyphometer, inclinometer, flexicurve ruler, arcometer, flexible electrogoniometer and spinal mouse.