Summary A 6-month randomized controlled trial of spine-strengthening exercise and posture training reduced both radiographic and clinical measures of kyphosis. Participants receiving the intervention improved self-image and satisfaction with their appearance. Results suggest that spine-strengthening exercise and postural training may be an effective treatment option for older adults with hyperkyphosis. Introduction The purpose of the present study is to determine in a randomized controlled trial whether spine-strengthening exercises improve Cobb angle of kyphosis in community-dwelling older adults. Methods We recruited adults ≥60 years with kyphosis ≥40° and enrolled 99 participants (71 women, 28 men), mean age 70.6 ± 0.6 years, range 60–88, with baseline Cobb angle 57.4 ± 12.5°. The intervention included group spine-strengthening exercise and postural training, delivered by a physical therapist, 1-h, three times weekly for 6 months. Controls received four group health education meetings. The primary outcome was change in the gold standard Cobb angle of kyphosis measured from standing lateral spine radiographs. Secondary outcomes included change in kyphometer-measured kyphosis, physical function (modified Physical Performance Test, gait speed, Timed Up and Go, Timed Loaded Standing, 6-Min Walk), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (PROMIS global health and physical function indexes, SRS-30 self-image domain). ANCOVA was used to assess treatment effects on change from baseline to 6 months in all outcomes. Results There was a −3.0° (95% CI −5.2, −0.8) between-group difference in change in Cobb angle, p = 0.009, favoring the intervention and approximating the magnitude of change from an incident vertebral fracture. Kyphometer-measured kyphosis (p = 0.03) and SRS-30 self-esteem (p < 0.001) showed favorable between-group differences in change, with no group differences in physical function or additional HRQoL outcomes, p > 0.05. Conclusions Spine-strengthening exercise and posture training over 6 months reduced kyphosis compared to control. Our randomized controlled trial results suggest that a targeted kyphosis-specific exercise program may be an effective treatment option for older adults with hyperkyphosis. Trial registration number and name of trial register ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier NCT01751685

BackgroundHyperkyphosis, an excessive anterior curvature in the thoracic spine, is associated with reduced health status in older adults. Hyperkyphosis is highly prevalent, more common in older women than men. There is no standard intervention to reduce age-related hyperkyphosis. Sex differences in response to a kyphosis-specific exercise intervention are not known.MethodsWe conducted a randomized controlled trial of a targeted kyphosis-specific exercise and postural training program on the primary outcome Cobb angle of kyphosis, and investigated whether the magnitude of change differed between men and women. One hundred twelve participants aged ≥60 years with kyphosis ≥40° were enrolled and randomized to exercise or waitlist control, and 101 participants had analyzable baseline and follow-up radiographs for Cobb angle measurements. A group intervention including 10 participants per group was delivered by a physical therapist, 1-h, twice a week for 3-months. Controls were placed on a waitlist for 3 months before receiving a delayed intervention. Primary outcome was change from baseline to 3-months in Cobb angle measured from standing lateral spine radiographs. Secondary outcomes included change over 3-months in kyphometer-measured kyphosis, physical function and quality of life. Groups were combined for analysis after both received the intervention, and sex differences in response to the intervention were tested with ANOVA.ResultsParticipants (60 women, 41 men) were 70.0 (SD = 5.7) years old with mean Cobb angle 55.9 (SD = 12.2) degrees at baseline. The active group had higher baseline modified Physical Performance Test scores than control, p = 0.03. Men had greater baseline kyphometer-measured kyphosis, p = 0.09, and higher bone mineral density (BMD), spine strength, more vertebral fractures and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) than women, p ≤ 0.01. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in change in Cobb at 3-months, p = 0.09, however change in kyphometer-measured kyphosis differed by 4.8 (95% CI:-6.8,-2.7) degrees, p < 0.001, favoring the active group. There were no differences between men and women in change in either kyphosis measurement after intervention, p > 0.1.ConclusionsA 3-month targeted spine strengthening exercise and posture training program reduced kyphometer-measured, but not radiographic-measured kyphosis. Despite sex differences in baseline kyphosis, BMD, spine strength, fractures and DISH, sex did not affect treatment response.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01766674.

The efficacy of a high-quality, adequately powered exercise intervention in men and women with kyphosis ≥40 degrees will be evaluated to determine whether targeted multimodal spine-strengthening exercise reduces hyperkyphosis in older adults and improves important secondary outcomes of physical function and health-related quality of life.

Background Hyperkyphosis is common among older adults and is associated with multiple adverse health outcomes. Kyphosis-specific exercise and posture training programs improve hyperkyphosis, but in-person programs are expensive to implement and maintain over long periods. It is unclear if a technology-based posture training program disseminated through a mobile phone is a feasible or acceptable alternative to in-person training among older adults with hyperkyphosis. Objective The primary purpose was to assess the feasibility of subject recruitment, short-term retention and adherence, and acceptability of a technology-based exercise and posture training program disseminated as video clip links and text messaging prompts via a mobile phone. The secondary purpose was to explore the potential efficacy of this program for kyphosis, physical function, and health-related quality of life in older adults with hyperkyphosis. Methods In this 6-week pre-post design pilot trial, we recruited community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years with hyperkyphosis ≥40° (±5°) and access to a mobile phone. The intervention had two parts: (1) exercise and posture training via video clips sent to participants daily via text messaging, including 6 weekly video clip links to be viewed on the participant’s mobile phone, and (2) text messaging prompts to practice good posture. We analyzed the subject recruitment, adherence, retention, and acceptability of the intervention. Outcomes included change in kyphometer-measured kyphosis, occiput-to-wall (OTW) distance, Short Physical Performance Battery score, Scoliosis Research Society (SRS-30) score, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression score, and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) score. Results A total of 64 potential participants were recruited, 17 were enrolled, and 12 completed postintervention testing at 6 weeks. The average age was 71.6 (SD 4.9) years, and 50% were women. The median adherence to daily video viewing was 100% (range, 14%-100%) and to practicing good posture at least three times per day was 71% (range, 0%-100%). Qualitative evaluation of intervention acceptability revealed that the mobile phone screen was too small for participants to view the videos well and daily prompts to practice posture were too frequent. Kyphosis, OTW distance, and physical activity significantly improved after the 6-week intervention. Kyphosis decreased by 8° (95% CI –12 to –5; P <.001), OTW decreased by 1.9 cm (95% CI –3.3 to –0.7; P =.007), and physical activity measured by PASE increased by 29 points (95% CI 3 to 54; P =.03). The health-related quality of life SRS-30 score increased by 0.11 point (SD 0.19), but this increase was not statistically significant ( P =.09). Conclusions Technology-based exercise and posture training using video clip view...

[Purpose] Persons with age-related hyperkyphosis often have concomitant sagittal plane imbalance of the spine. This study investigated the reliability of sagittal vertical axis (SVA) measurement of sagittal balance, association between thoracic Cobb angle of kyphosis and SVA measure of sagittal balance, and compared the degree of SVA in males and females with age-related hyperkyphosis. [Participants and Methods] Measurements of SVA and Cobb angle of kyphosis were obtained from baseline radiographs of 112 community-dwelling males and females, mean age 70.0 (SD=5.7) years with kyphosis ≥40 degrees, recruited for a randomized controlled trial. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to determine associations between SVA and kyphosis, and Wilcoxon nonparametric tests to compare SVA between genders. [Results] SVA was acquired with excellent intra-rater [0.95 (95% CI: 0.88, 0.98)] and inter-rater reliability [0.93 (95% CI: 0.83,0.97)]. There was no significant correlation between Cobb angle of thoracic kyphosis and SVA, (r=−0.05). More males than females had sagittal imbalance (SVA≥5 cm). [Conclusion] In older adults with hyperkyphosis, SVA was a reliable measure of sagittal balance, and more extreme in males. SVA was not associated with Cobb angle of thoracic kyphosis, and could be considered an independent phenotype of age-related hyperkyphosis to be targeted in future intervention trials.