Lordosis

Lordosis is the word used to describe the curve in your lower back. It is not a disease or a back injury!

The human spine is divided up into three main sections your neck, called the cervical spine, your mid back, called the thoracic spine and your lower back, called the lumbar spine.  These three areas roughly form an S shape when viewed from the side.

The medical term used to describe a curve inwards is called lordosis, a curve outward is called a kyphosis.  That’s all there is to it!

So where at the top of the spine the neck curves in, this is called the cervical lordosis, where your spine curves out between your shoulder blades is called the thoracic kyphosis and the inward curve in your lower back is your lumbar lordosis.

If you have a deep curve in your lower back and a round shouldered posture this is often described as a kypholordotic posture.  It is just a postural type however, many people have it and it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There is an illustration of this postural type below.

I have met many people who have been told that their back pain is caused by a lordotic posture. This is daft, this is just a word used to describe a postural type its not a back condition.

A research study looked at different postural types and didn’t find it any more likely that one type more than another would get back pain. 1

However, I have worked with people who have poor core stability and a lack of movement in the lower back. Sometimes, if they spend a lot of time in this exaggerated lordotic position and find it difficult to move out of, they may get pain. I suspect this is because the stresses through the facet joints can be quite high with this posture.  Treatment includes movement exercise for back pain and core stabilization work.

References

1. Norton, B., Sahrmann, S. & Van, D. Differences in measurements of lumbar curvature related to gender and low back pain. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 34, 524-534(2004).

14-Sep-2009

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