Dooley Noted: 4/10/2014
You’ve seen it on other people.
You may even see it in the mirror.
The thoracic spine, or midback, is meant to have a curve towards the posterior. You were born with this same curve in your sacrum and coccyx (read: tailbone). This kyphosis is the curve of the fetal position.
We earn our neck and low back curves, by holding up our heads, crawling, and ultimately, walking.
But oftentimes, we fail to maintain the curves we earn and let gravity take us into that flexed, fetal position. Our midback curves can become more pronounced, and we develop hunched backs. The technical term is hyperkyphosis of the thoracic spine.
It’s easy to see how we develop hunchbacks, when the following describes the day of most people:
Get up from fetal position.
Sit on toilet.
Sit to eat breakfast.
Sit in car/subway/train/bus.
Sit all day at work and slouch.
Sit to eat lunch.
Sit in forward head posture to text message and make calls.
Sit on machines and bikes at the gym.
Sit to eat dinner.
Sit on couch to watch TV.
Go to sleep in fetal position
When you look back on your day, you’ll see little time spent maintaining your neck and low back curves.
The only place to move is with gravity – right into the fetal position.
I spend the majority of my day helping people earn back their midback extension.
They learn to breathe and extend again.
They want to undo their hunchbacks.
This want is a need!
A lack of midback extension can result in neck tension, shoulder dysfunction, low back pain, breathing issues, and a host of other issues.
Hunchbacks don’t spring up over night. If you see a hyperkyphotic midback, think of what you’ll do today to prevent it.
You’re not immune. If you’re not fighting gravity, then it will definitely win and give you a hunchback.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley