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Thoracic Hyperkyphosis

Thoracic hyperkyphosis & Rounded Shoulders

Identify and help correct thoracic hyperkyphosis.

Thoracic hyperkyphosis

An abnormally excessive convex (forward) curvature of the thoracic spine.

At-a-glance Summary

Possible Weak Muscles: The scapula stabilisers (Rhomboids and Middle trapezius).

Possible Tight Muscles: Pectoralis, Subscapularis and/or Latissimus dorsi.

Good to know

Excessive thoracic kyphosis causes protracted (rounded) shoulders. Rounded shoulders reduce the joint space between the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) and the undersurface of the acromion (Solem-Bertoft, Thuomas, and Westerberg 1993). This in turn is a primary cause of shoulder impingement.

Why you should care?

Rounded shoulders can cause neckand upper back pain, not to mention headaches, breathing issues and shoulder pain such as shoulder impingement, and more.

If left untreated and if your clients do the WRONG exercises the issues can become more severe, and treatment can take much longer.

A quick look at

Shoulder Impingement

Clients with rounded shoulders are more likely to develop shoulder impingement, also known as rotator cuff tendinitis or bursitis. This is because rounded shoulders reduce the joint space between the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) and the under-surface of the acromion (subacromial space). This in turn is a primary cause of shoulder impingement,

(Solem-Bertoft, Thuomas, and Westerberg 1993).

Symptoms

Clients will often complain of a loss of motion and power. In more severe cases people experience night pain which disturbs their sleep. The pain is often localised to the upper and outer area of the shoulder and upper arm and may extend (radiate) to the elbow. They will experience pain with movement, particularly during elevation and rotation of the arm.