The corset for a hunchback

Another therapy option for a hunched back is the application of a supporting corset, also known medically as an orthosis. It is a stable construction made of pure plastic or a combination of leather and plastic to support the trunk. The corset should not be worn alone, but in addition to other treatment measures, such as physiotherapy.

It is a medical aid that can be prescribed by a doctor after a detailed examination of the hunchback. The choice for the right corset is usually made jointly by the doctor and the orthopedic technician. The corset makes it possible to correct malpositions caused by the hunched back and to counteract incorrect strains.

The functions of the back should be maintained and pain should be relieved. There are different versions of the corset, each with different features. Nowadays mainly the active back orthoses are used.

Due to their optimal wearing characteristics they are especially suitable for children. With this form of corset a dynamic upper body straightening is achieved by spring tension elements and an active movement of the spine, muscles and trunk. In addition, it has a pleasant wearing comfort, in contrast to the traditional stiff back orthoses (passive corset).

With these traditional corsets (e.g. Milwaukee corset), a passive stabilization of the back takes place, which in turn suppresses natural movements of the body. This prevents both desired and harmful moving effects. If the passive back orthosis is no longer to be worn, muscular training will be necessary.

This is not necessary with an active corset. In severe cases, the hunched back is increasingly progressive and leads to a pronounced deformity of the back, which can result in the destruction of vertebral bodies. In this case, various surgical procedures are available for stabilizing and straightening the vertebrae.

Through a so-called kyphoplasty, it is possible to straighten a hunched back, which is usually at the base of a vertebral fracture. This operation serves to straighten damaged vertebrae. A balloon catheter, a kind of probe with a tube system, is inserted into the damaged vertebra and inflated.The vertebra is then filled with cement through the catheter.

A similar method is the so-called vertebroplasty, in which cement is inserted directly into the bone without a catheter. Surgical intervention is recommended for a hunchback with a curvature of more than 65°, for uncontrollable pain and for neurological deficits such as paralysis or numbness. If there is a pronounced displacement of the vertebral bodies by the hunchback, the affected vertebra can be retracted into its natural position and stiffened by means of a screw-rod system.