BoneKEy Reports | BoneKEy Watch
Spinal muscle density is a risk factor for hyperkyphosis
DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2012.49
Hyperkyphosis results in a curved spine at the thoracic region and leads to mobility issues and an increased risk of falls and fractures in older people. A study by Katzman et al set out to investigate whether spinal muscle density and area contributed to the development of hyperkyphosis, independently of other known risk factors.
A total of 1172 adults, including men and women of different racial backgrounds, were assessed for their mobility and CT scans were then used to diagnose hyperkyphosis and to measure the density and cross-sectional area of each participant's spinal extensor muscle.
Prevalence of hyperkyphosis varied within the population; 30% of white women, 26% of black women, 17% of white men and 11% of black men had a degree of curvature of the spine that was over 40 degrees (Cobb's angle). Spinal muscle density was significantly associated with hyperkyphosis but muscle area was not. Independently of other variables, the odds of developing hyperkyphosis reduced by 29% for each standard deviation increase in spinal muscle density.
Editor's comment: Muscles play an important but often overlooked role in maintaining the stability of the vertebral column. Weak or inefficient muscle (due to fat infiltration or atrophy) allows vertebra to deviate from the anatomical norm; kyphosis or lordosis results if that occurs in the anteroposterior direction and this might be preventable with targeted exercise interventions.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.