Kyphosis
Also called: dowager's hump, hunchback, buffalo hump spine, thoracic hump
What it means
Kyphosis is an excessive forward curve of the upper back, often called a dowager's hump, which in bone-health terms is frequently linked to vertebral compression fractures.
Worsening kyphosis can be a visible sign of weakening vertebrae, so noticing it early matters for protecting your spine.
Kyphosis is an exaggerated forward rounding of the upper spine, sometimes called a dowager's hump. A little curve is normal, but when it becomes pronounced it can pull a person's posture forward, making it harder to stand up straight or look straight ahead.
In people with weak bones, kyphosis often comes from one or more vertebral compression fractures in the thoracic spine. When the front of a vertebra collapses slightly, it creates a wedge shape, and over time several of these wedges add up to a visible curve and some height loss.
Because the spine has already been weakened, exercise for someone with significant kyphosis needs care. Loaded forward-bending movements are generally avoided, while gentle extension and posture-focused exercises are often favored. A doctor or physical therapist can help decide what's safe based on your own spine and fracture history.
How sure is this?
Graded Established Science: Supported by broad scientific consensus and decades of research. Read each study with its grade in mind. One study is a piece of the picture, not the whole of it.
A worsening forward curve of the upper back can be a visible sign of weakening spine bones.
Where this leads
WordSince this curve is often linked to spine fractures, see how a collapsing vertebra can lead to this kind of posture change.
Where the Academy teaches it
This page is the short version. The lessons teach it in full, with the context around it and a quiz to lock it in.
Related words
A vertebral compression fracture is when a bone in the spine collapses or flattens, often because the bone is…
The thoracic spine is the middle part of your backbone, made of twelve vertebrae (T1-T12) that connect to your ribs.
Height loss is when you become noticeably shorter than you were in your younger years, often an inch or more over…
Posture training is a set of exercises and habits that strengthen back muscles and improve spinal alignment to…
Spinal flexion avoidance means limiting forward bending from the spine, especially with twisting or lifting, to…
Back extensor strengthening is exercise that targets the muscles along your spine to improve posture and support the…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
