Condition
Kyphosis: causes, symptoms and treatment
A clinically reviewed guide to kyphosis — the causes of a rounded upper back and how it is managed.
- Mid Back & Chest
Quick answer
Kyphosis is an excessive forward rounding of the upper back. Postural kyphosis is the most common form and usually improves with strengthening and posture retraining, while structural forms may need medical monitoring.
Key facts
- The upper back naturally curves outward; kyphosis is an exaggeration of it.
- Postural kyphosis is the most common and most correctable type.
- Structural types (such as Scheuermann's) may need medical monitoring.
What is kyphosis?
Kyphosis is an excessive outward curve of the thoracic (upper) spine, producing a rounded or hunched upper-back appearance.
Some outward curve is normal. Kyphosis becomes a concern when the curve is exaggerated. Postural kyphosis is flexible and correctable; structural kyphosis, such as Scheuermann's disease, involves changes in the vertebrae themselves.
What causes kyphosis?
Kyphosis is most often caused by posture and muscle imbalance, though it can be structural or, in older adults, related to bone changes.
- Postural habits and prolonged forward-leaning positions
- Muscle imbalance — tight chest, weak upper-back muscles
- Scheuermann's disease (a structural form in adolescents)
- Age-related bone changes such as osteoporosis in older adults
What are the symptoms of kyphosis?
The main sign is a rounded upper back, sometimes with upper-back stiffness, aching or forward-head posture.
- Visible rounding of the upper back
- Upper-back or neck stiffness and ache
- Forward-head and rounded-shoulder posture
- Tightness across the chest
How is kyphosis treated?
Postural kyphosis is treated with upper-back and postural strengthening, chest stretching, and posture retraining.
Structural or age-related kyphosis may need medical assessment and, in some cases, monitoring or specialist input alongside conservative care.
At Postura Wellness, care for kyphosis is built around OrthoRestore™ — our signature method that combines chiropractic and physiotherapy into one coordinated plan. Depending on your assessment, it can bring together chiropractic adjustments, dry needling, muscle manipulation, Active Release Technique, and targeted exercises, supported where helpful by technology such as shockwave therapy and bioelectric therapy. The aim is to relieve symptoms while addressing the underlying causes, with a plan tailored to you.
A rapidly increasing curve, significant pain, or kyphosis in an older adult with a history of bone thinning should be medically assessed.
Get a clear plan for your kyphosis
Book an assessment at either branch and get a tailored plan.
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified clinician about your individual condition.
Sources
- Back Pain — MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Know Your Back — North American Spine Society
- Health Topics — NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- Joint Disorders — MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Bones, Joints and Muscles — MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Muscle and Bone Diseases — NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases