5 exercises you shouldn’t do if you have kyphosis. They can make the problem worse

Kyphosis is a curvature of the spine. It can be thoracic or sacral. Do not worry if the kyphosis is physiological – with a deviation of about 15-30 degrees. But if hyperkyphosis appears, in this case, some exercises will have to be excluded from the training process, so as not to get complications. The most common of these are hernias and protrusions.

World Class fitness trainer

Kyphosis is not a verdict. Our club had one client with thoracic kyphosis who got a CMC in powerlifting. This is a personal conscious choice – to work out in spite of. But I would like to emphasize that this is an exceptional case! The athlete did everything at his own risk. And, of course, before performing any exercises that you doubt, be sure to consult a doctor.

Exclude axial load

First of all, in kyphosis it is worth refusing exercises with axial load. As you know, the most important principle of performing standing pulls and squats – a straight back, without this, at first glance, a small detail of the exercises lose their meaning. And a straight back in kyphosis is a priori impossible, so we advise you to refuse to perform them, because there is a great risk of getting injured or giving progression of the disease.

Replace running and jumping

It is also worth excluding shock loads in the form of jumping and running. Our spine houses intervertebral discs and they need to act as shock absorbers. In the presence of kyphosis, the spine can not properly perform this function, so the risk of injury is very high, and the benefits of exercise will be minimal. Instead of risking your health, replace these exercises with swimming. And if you also move on your back, you will relax your intervertebral discs. All in all, a lot of benefits.

“Shrugs” – forbidden

In the gym, men with thoracic kyphosis should not be carried away by the exercise “shrugs”. For those who do not know, this exercise is performed with a barbell in downward-facing hands. And the shoulders work mainly, they are under load, and they must be lowered and raised.

Quite an effective exercise for the trapezius muscle, except for one thing. No benefit to the curved spine it will not bring, but to add problems with the neck may well. In kyphosis, the trapezius is already spasmodic, and it should never be loaded from above.

Doctor’s opinion

sports medicine doctor, rehabilitologist, expert of the UniProf Academy of Physicians

Kyphosis can be both thoracic, cervical and spinal. In any of the cases, a set of exercises is made together with a sports medicine doctor or treating orthopedist. Certain exercises, such as those that involve bending the spine forward, should be avoided. These can aggravate the condition and cause further “rounding” of the spine. These include squats, push-ups, and other exercises that involve possible rounding of the shoulders.

Standing pull ups and other exercises that involve lifting heavy weights should be avoided. They give a significant load on the deformed spine and can lead to injuries.

It is worth excluding presses and other exercises that involve lifting the arms above the head. They can cause the shoulders to round forward, which can aggravate kyphosis.

Running and jumping when the spine is significantly curved (the latter stages of kyphosis) can cause injury to the intervertebral discs. However, with minor curvature, such a load will not harm. Still, perform any exercises should be supervised by trainers and doctors LFC.

Instead, it is better to introduce exercises aimed at strengthening the back and core muscles and improving posture. Yoga or Pilates, swimming with the right technique can also help to improve posture.