The vast majority of postural defects occur in childhood. Early postural errors can become painfully noticeable in adulthood. But at what age is the spine particularly susceptible to malformations?

The hunchback is one of the most common postural defects. In most cases, poor posture and lack of exercise cause the spine to curve (“hump”) and cause discomfort.

The thoracic spine is naturally curved backwards (physiological kyphosis). However, if the curvature is more than 40 degrees, one speaks of a rounded back. There are three main reasons for this:

Muscular imbalance in the trunk area: Chest muscles in particular tend to shorten. This pulls her shoulders forward. The opponents – i.e. the shoulder muscles and upper back muscles – are too weak to fight back.

Bechterew’s disease: In the chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease, painful inflammation can spread through the spine and cause joints to stiffen and the back to become immobile.

Osteoporosis: With the bone disease, the back can deform due to vertebral fractures. Taking vitamin D and getting enough calcium protects against fractures. If fractures have already occurred, a corset can support bone healing and protect against further deformation.

If it is only a change in posture due to muscular tension and not a deformity of the spine, it is merely called a postural disorder or malposition. Insufficiently trained muscles can lead to improper stress and tension. This in turn causes tense muscles and the fact that those affected adopt a protective posture. This can be exacerbated by poor sitting at work and being overweight with a large waist, which pulls the weight forward. In the case of children, poor carrying of the satchel can promote poor posture.

If the bad posture has been present for years or decades and it results in malformations of the vertebral bodies, it is a postural defect.