kyphosis

Term: kyphosis

Literally meaning:

Origin: Anc Greek

κύφωσις/kyphosis(=kyphosis)

>κύφος/kyphos(=bent forward, humped) > κύπτω/kypto(=bent)

+>-ωσις/osis(=osis, suffix meaning a medical condition)

Coined/History

The ancient Greek phycisian Galen of Pergamon (130–200 AD) described four types of spinal deformities, namely kyphosis when they spinal column moves backward, lordosis when it moves forward, scoliosis when it moves to the side and succussion, where there is no spinal deformity but the intervertebral articulations still have moved. He comments that Hippocrates used the term scoliosis to describe all spinal deformities.

(Sourse: Vasiliadis et al, Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece,

2009, Scoliosis 2009, 4:6 )

Definition

Kyphosis or hunchback is an abnormal outward curvature of the spine that goes in the backwards direction causing a protuberance of the upper back.