Rip Hump and Kyphosis

[whitney81180]

If you have a significant rip hump does this mean you automatically have kyphosis? What is the difference between the two?

Becky

[LindaRacine]

Hi Becky...

They're essentially unrelated. A rib hump is the protrusion of ribs caused by the rotation of the spine. A kyphosis hump is the forward bending of the spine, and the hump is the actual spine.

Here's a rib hump:

http://orthosurg.ucsf.edu/patientedu/img/scoli2.jpg

Here are some kyphosis humps:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=247&topcategory=Spine

If you were to see the kyphosis hump from straight on (like in the picture of the rib hump), the hump would be in the middle of the back (as opposed to it being one sided in the rib hump).

Hope that explains it.

Regards,
Linda