Common Causes And Complications Of Kyphosis

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is characterized by the reduced density and quality of an individual's bones. This disease causes the bones to become weak and fracture or break easily. Often, patients do not know they have this disease until the first bone breaks. The body of a younger individual breaks down old bone and fills the space with new healthy bone tissue. When an individual reaches thirty years old or so, their overall bone mass will stop growing. By the time an individual reaches forty or fifty years old, their body is breaking down more bone than it is replacing. Osteoporosis has an adverse effect on the spinal bones or the vertebrae. The vertebral bones become weak and more susceptible to breaks and fractures. The most common type of vertebral fracture that occurs in osteoporosis patients is a wedge-shaped break. This type of break happens when the front of the vertebrae collapses while the back of the bone maintains its height. This height difference results in that part of the spine tipping forward, causing a kyphotic curve. Usually, a repair of the fracture and treatment for the thinning bones will prevent this type of kyphosis from reoccurring.

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