scheuermann's disease

hello and welcome to the website page of Scheuermann's Disease, or sometimes know as Scheuermann's Kyphosis.

[scheuermannsdisease-blog]

[scheuermannsdisease-blog]

SYMPTOMS

What does the condition feel like? Hunched posture or a round back in children usually alerts parents or teachers to the need for a doctor visit. Children don't typically complain of back pain or other symptoms. This is not the case in adolescents who are nearing puberty and have kyphosis in the lowest part of the thorax, near the bottom of the rib cage. In these patients, back pain is the overriding problem.  Adults who've lived with the hunched posture for many years may note worsening pain. The pain typically causes them to seek medical help. They may be disturbed by the physical changes and deformity that develop.The pain and/or the physical changes typically causes them to seek medical help. Besides having a forward curved spine, most people affected by Scheuermann's report back pain, stiffness, and loss of flexibility. The neck and low back try to compensate by increasing the natural lordotic curves in these two areas. Since the person cannot straighten the thoracic spine, the cervical and lumbar spines increase their curves to compensate for the round back. All of these changes in posture are usually accompanied by tight shoulder, hip, and leg muscles. Patients of all ages who experience pain generally report feeling discomfort along the sides of the spine, slightly below the main part of the abnormal curve. Exaggerated kyphosis can lead to an increased lordosis (inward curve) in the low back. This puts extra strain on the tissues of the low back. Over many years, this added wear and tear may produce low back pain. This mainly occurs in adults who have extra lumbar lordosis from years of untreated Scheuermann's disease. In rare cases, the spinal cord is affected. A severe kyphosis stretches the spinal cord over the top of the curve. This can injure the spinal cord. Also, patients with Scheuermann's disease have a greater chance of having aherniated thoracic disc. This is where the disc material from inside the disc begins to squeeze out and press on the spinal cord. Spinal cord symptoms for both situations include sensations of pins and needles and numbness. The leg muscles may feel weak. Symptoms from an injured spinal cord can also include changes in bowel and bladder function. When the kyphosis angle exceeds 100 degrees (rare), the sharply bent spine puts pressure on the heart, lungs, and intestines. When this occurs, patients may tire quickly, suffer shortness of breath, feel chest pain, and lose their appetite.

Overall this condition can be extremely painful. 

taken from houstonmethodist.org

[scheuermannsdisease-blog]

The section of spine from below the neck to the bottom of the rib cage is called the thoracic spine. From the side, the thoracic spine appears slightly rounded. Its shape is like the letter C with the opening facing the front of the body. This normal curve is called kyphosis. With excessive kyphosis, the thoracic spine takes on a hunchbacked appearance. Scheuermann's disease (also called Scheuermann's kyphosis) is a condition that starts in childhood. It affects less than one percent of the population and occurs mostly in children between the ages of 10 and 12. It affects boys and girls with a slightly higher number of boys affected. Those who do not get proper treatment for the condition during childhood often experience back pain from the spinal deformity as adults. Sometimes Scheuermann's disease doesn't develop until adulthood.

taken from houstonmethodist.org

[scheuermannsdisease-blog]

What is Scheuermann's disease? 

Scheuermann's disease is a condition where the vertebrae grows unevenly with respect to the sagittal plane; that is, the posterior angle is often greater than theanterior. This uneven growth results in the signature "wedging" shape of the vertebrae, causing kyphosis. In other words, instead of growing straight the spine curves. 

A curved spine from Scheuermann’s. 

Signs and symptoms:

Symptoms generally develop between the ages of 10 and 15, a time of considerable growth in the spine. These symptoms are typical:

Tiredness and muscle stiffness, especially after a day of sitting in class

Redness on the skin where the curvature is most pronounced and rubs against the back of a chair

Pain made worse by activities involving twisting, bending, or arching backward, such as when participating in gymnastics, figure skating, dancing, or other sports requiring these types of movements

Muscle spasms or muscle cramps

Difficulty exercising

Back pain or backache, which may come and go or stay

Limited flexibility

Tight hamstrings

Feeling off-balance

It is also not uncommon for people with Scheuermann’s to have Scoliosis as well.

The Curvature:

The curvature in Scheuermann’s disease is measured in degrees. A curvature with no abnormalities of the vertebrae (and one that goes away when the patient lies down) is usually considered postural kyphosis, a milder condition not requiring treatment. However, Scheuermann's disease is usually the diagnosis if the patient has:

A curvature of 45 degrees or more

Three or more adjacent vertebrae wedged together by at least 5 degrees per segment

This is when the pain increases dramatically.

This disease is very much unheard of and pretty uncommon. Please Share to spread awareness and information. As a sufferer of this I can safely say it’s a lonely and painful condition. 

If you have any questions please feel free to ask!