Anatomy of Kyphosis

Your back, or spine, is made up of many parts. Your backbone, also called your vertebral column, provides support and protection. It consists of 25 vertebrae (bones). There are discs between each of the vertebra that act like pads or shock absorbers. Each disc is made up of a tire-like outer band called the annulus fibrosus and a gel-like inner substance called the nucleus pulposus. Together, the vertebrae and the discs provide a protective tunnel (the spinal canal) to house the spinal cord and spinal nerves. These nerves run down the center of the vertebrae and exit to various parts of the body.

Your back also has muscles, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. Muscles are strands of tissues that act as the source of power for movement. Ligaments are the strong, flexible bands of fibrous tissue that link the bones together, and tendons connect muscles to bones and discs. Blood vessels provide nourishment. These parts all work together to help you move about.

It is normal for the spine to curve from front to back. Everyone has some natural rounding of their upper back (kyphosis), as well as arching or indentation of their lower back (lordosis). But when your spine curves too much, you get a hump. From the side, it might appear as if your head is resting on your chest, not your neck.

Most often, kyphosis affects the thoracic spine, which is the middle/upper part of your back. However, on occasion the kyphosis develops in the cervical spine (neck area), or in the lumbar spine (low back area). Typically, kyphosis causes the natural curve in the thoracic spine to curve too far forward.