Why we need better posture? We all know that having a rounded back doesn’t look good on anybody. However, we are much less aware that having a good posture is not only about the way we look. Our posture affects our health and well-being in numerous ways.
What is hyperkyphosis?
Hyperkyphosis is the term used for excessive curvature in the thoracic spine. While our upper backs naturally curve, too much of that curve puts a lot of pressure on our bodies. It affects the vertebrae, the discs in the spine and also on the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders, the chest and our abdominal organs.
Research shows that 20–40% of people older than 60 years of age and 55% of those older than 70 years have hyperkyphosis.
Hyperkyphosis may start to develop if we continually sit and stand in a slumping position. Or if we habitually have our head forward of our body.
And hyperkyphosis is the precursor of pretty much any age-related condition you don’t want to have.
Research finds that hyperkyphosis presents same health risks as osteoporosis
You have heard about osteoporosis and how important it is to preven loss of bone mass to avoid fractures as you get older. But here’s what you probably haven’t heard: A slumped forward posture – if allowed to mature into the full-fledged hyperkyphosis of old age – puts you at risk for the exact same issues as osteoporosis.
This means a greater risk for vertebral fractures, greater risk of falls, and fall-related fractures. And not only that – it is a contributing factor to a host of other health issues as well.
People with hyperkyphosis are more likely to have difficulty performing simple daily tasks like bathing and washing. They are also more likely to fall and break their hip, leg, wrist, shoulder or arm. The risk is greater the more hunched the back is.
Furthermore, when a person is constantly stooped forward, this puts tremendous pressure on the chest and lung cavity. This, in turn, restricts breathing capacity or creates shortness of breath. Shortness of breath leads to a host of health issues, including increased anxiety and depression, reduced happiness, and, again, reduced ability to undertake normal daily functions.
Hyperkyphosis and mortality
With all of this going on, maybe it’s not a surprise that people with hyperkyphosis die earlier than their peers. Studies have shown that older men and women with a forward-hunched posture have higher death rates; in one study, they had a 44 percent greater rate of mortality.
A prospective longitudinal study, which followed 610 women for over 13 years, found that people with a greater thoracic kyphosis, who previously sustained a vertebral fracture, have a 1.5 times higher risk of death than those who have a smaller kyphotic curvature.
Preventing Hyperkyphosis
You may be young or middle-aged with no signs of osteoporosis or hyperkyphosis. But the body takes its shape over years. The foundation of hyperkyphosis and other posture problems is laid decades before it becomes a visible problem. So the time to focus on preventing hyperkyphosis is not when you’re 70 or 80 years old and have developed some degree of the condition.
It’s never too late to change your posture, but the older you get, the more difficult it is. So the best time to improve your posture and prevent hyperkyphosis from developing is when you’re in your forties, fifties, and sixties.
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Now we know – posture affects your overall health
