What is Scheuermann's disease?

Kyphosis in the sense of a deformity is the pathologic curving of the spine, where parts of the spinal column lose some or all of their lordotic profile. This causes a bowing of the back, seen as a slouching posture. Symptoms of kyphosis, that may be present or not, depending on the type and extent of the deformity, include mild back pain, fatigue, appearance of round back and breathing difficulties. If necessary, the deformity is treated with a brace and physical therapy, or corrective surgery. Severe cases can cause much discomfort and even cause death. In patients with progressive kyphotic deformity due to vertebral collapse, a procedure called a kyphoplasty may arrest the deformity and relieve the pain.