Posture and Your Health and Longevity

"Hunched Posture" Predicts Early Death

This is truly an amazing and important study, published in a major medical journal. Everyone knows about the damaging effects of smoking, alcoholism and obesity; having a bent forward upper spine is in the same class. --- Dr. Pete



Hyperkyphotic Posture Predicts Mortality in Older Community-Dwelling Men and Women: A Prospective Study
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
From: Volume 52 Issue 10, October 2004, Page 1662
Deborah M. Kado, MD; Ms. Mei-Hua Huang; DrPH; Arun S. Karlamangla, MD, PhD; Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD and Gail A. Greendale, MD.

1. This study of 1,353 participants followed for an average of 4.2 years shows that hyperkyphosis [i.e., hunched over spine where the head is held forward and the shoulders are rounded, the posture usually seen in un-corrected older spines] is not primarily caused by osteoporosis.

2. Hyperkyphotic posture is more common in men than women (44% in men, 22% of women).

3. Hyperkyphosis is frequently observed in older persons.

4. In the study, persons with even slight hyperkyphosis had a 1.44 times greater rate of mortality than those without hyperkyphotic posture.

5. Hyperkyphosis is significantly associated with deaths due to atherosclerosis.

6. Hyperkyphosis increased deaths due to atherosclerosis by 2.4 times.

7. In these seniors, the greater the hyperkyphotic posture, the greater the rates of death.

8. The hyperkyphotic posture reflects an increased rate of physiological aging. [Very Important]

9. Atherosclerosis and hyperkyphosis have a common underlying pathology. My explanation is: Hyperkyphosis puts increased pressure on the heart, not allowing it to pump efficiently, causing blood stasis which contributes to atherosclerosis.

10. Hyperkyphotic posture predicts increased mortality. This means earlier death!

11. Interventions specifically targeted at improving hyperkyphotic posture (such as Advanced Biostructural Correction) could result in reduced mortality rates." [Ya think?]

The reason this didn't make the evening news is that up until now, there has been no consistent way to correct hyperkyphosis. If you are under care at this office, you probably know differently.

The earlier in life you detect and correct these things, the easier it is to do, and the more health the person gets to enjoy. Get your teenaged friends checked, PLEASE!