Juvenile Kyphosis (Scheuermann’s Disease)

Proven content

Juvenile kyphosis (Scheuermann’s disease) can begin before the age of 10 in both boys and girls. It is one of the bone necrosis, which can lead to deformation and distortion of the spine. Juvenile kyphosis reduces vital functions and its symptoms are difficult to detect.

What is Juvenile Kyphosis (Scheuermann’s Disease)?

Juvenile kyphosis, otherwise known as Scheuermann’s disease, is a permanent deformation of the spine in the thoracic section. It is characterized by the death of cartilage and bone tissue in the adolescent stage. The ailment usually develops between the age of 12-16, which is the stage of the greatest disturbances in the growth of the vertebral bodies, which in turn causes their wedging. Juvenile kyphosis very often proceeds without any symptoms. The first symptoms are usually recognized when there are permanent changes in the structure of the spine.

Juvenile kyphosis (Scheuermann’s disease) – causes

The cause of Scheuermann’s disease has not yet been elucidated. about the genetic factor (the frequency of the disease is much higher in a genetically burdened family compared to an unencumbered family), congestion, hormonal disorders, microtraumas of the vertebrae. As a result, there is improper blood supply to the bone tissue, dying and deforming. Juvenile kyphosis develops earlier in girls than in boys because girls mature much faster. The disease lasts for about three years, when changes in the structure of the spine become permanent.

Scheuermann believed that necrosis leads to the deformation of the vertebral bodies as a result of uneven loads. Then there is a bulging of the intervertebral discs towards the spongy tissue of the shafts, which influences the reconstruction of the shaft structure. According to another theory, disorders arise due to inflammatory factors, intensive sports and injuries in adolescence.

Among the factors increasing the risk of Scheuermann’s disease, there are:

1. a small amount of vitamin A in the body,
2. ailments in the area of ​​muscles,
3. endocrine disorders.

Juvenile kyphosis (Scheuermann’s disease) – symptoms

Osteonecrosis leads to deformation of the spine, which is manifested by a forward tilt, hump, lumbar lordosis, flat back – depending on where the kyphosis develops. Another troublesome symptom of Scheuermann’s disease is pain in the spine, appearing, among others, in as a result of prolonged sitting or lying down.

Among the other symptoms of juvenile kyphosis, the following are distinguished:

1. constant feeling of fatigue,
2. limited mobility of the spine,
3. deformation of the structure of the spine,
4. rounding of the back,
5. extending the shoulders forward,
6. deformation of the spine disrupting the correct body posture and muscle weakness and stretching.

Phases of the development of youthful kyphosis

There are three stages in the development of Scheuermann’s disease:

1. Early phase – appears at the age of 9-10 and is characterized by a slight increase in thoracic kyphosis and wedge-shaped deformations visible on X-rays; it is very rare to recognize the disease.

2. The active phase – occurs between 11 and 18 years of age; at this stage, the typical clinical picture is visible with back pain, thoracic kyphosis, and general weakness and fatigue; X-ray examination shows wedge of the shafts and their irregular edges and Schmorl nodules.

3. Late phase – this is the last phase of juvenile kyphosis in which bone tissue remodeling was completed; structural changes are permanent, which disturbs the body posture; in addition, there is severe back pain and muscle imbalance.

Juvenile kyphosis (Scheuermann’s disease) – diagnosis

It is important to recognize the disease at an early stage, as it makes the chance of stopping or slowing the progression of the disease much higher. Initial diagnosis may be based on abnormal body posture, which is characterized by a rounded back in the thoracic region. Pain complaints about patients may also occur in the early stages of the disease. Patients with advanced disease have limited mobility and unbearable pain.

Radiological examination usually reveals:

1. narrowed intervertebral discs,
2. the lower and upper ends of irregularly shaped vertebral bodies,
3. disturbed angles of curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane.

Juvenile Kyphosis (Scheuermann’s Disease) – Treatment

Early treatment of juvenile kyphosis prevents deformities, but it is difficult due to the common occurrence of the first symptoms – back pain. Therapy is mainly based on conservative treatment. Surgical procedures are rarely performed unless the following indications exist:

1. deepened kyphosis in people whose growth has ended (above 75 degrees),
2. deepened kyphosis, which has a predisposition to grow (in people with incomplete growth),
3. troublesome pain in the thoracic-lumbar region of the spine and the thoracic region, which persists after the introduction of conservative treatment
4. the occurrence of neurological disorders.

The aim of surgical treatment is to lengthen the anterior column of the spine with a simultaneous shortening of the posterior column and interbody fusion. During the operation, the thickened anterior longitudinal ligaments are cut, thus correcting the spine. Then, the intervertebral discs are removed and a bone graft and insertion of rods (eg Harrington rods) are performed, thanks to which it is possible to maintain the proper curvature of the spine. In patients after surgery, upright positioning and rehabilitation should be started as soon as possible. You can activate the patient with or without a corset. The Vitolog Posture Corrector, which you can find on Medonet Market, can also help you maintain correct body posture.

For home exercises supporting the muscles of the spine, it is worth using the Dynapad sensorimotor pillow available at medonetmarket.pl.

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