[Cusom28] A message to the MS-1 students from Dr. Green

[CUSOM Medical Education]

Good afternoon, Class of 2028,

Please see below for an important message from Dr. Green -

Hi all,

There has been some confusion between my vertebral column lecture and one of Dr. Brenseke's MSK lectures regarding our designations of kyphosis and lordosis as being described as 'convex' or 'concave'. I'd like to clear up where the confusion might lie and make an attempt to follow Dr. Brenseke's scheme, since it makes more sense from a clinical perspective.
In my lecture, I described the curvature from an anterior perspective, which means that kyphosis in the thoracic and sacral spine is concave anteriorly, but convex from a posterior perspective - this seems to be how Dr. Brenseke described it in her lecture. Same for the lordosis of the cervical and lumbar spine, but vice versa.
I suppose the trouble is that the items we typically describe as concave or convex (e.g., lenses) tend to have the same shape on both sides:

[Concave vs. Convex-What's the Difference? | Grammarly]

Alternatively, the spine may be concave from the anterior perspective and convex posteriorly:
[Netter142]

>From my anatomical/osteological point of view, I failed to consider that from a clinical perspective, one would most likely assess an excessive outward ('convex') rounding of the upper back (for example); the medical term for this overt hump is kyphosis.

[cid:image003.png at 01DB6295.49E9CD70]
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/conditions/bones-joints/what-is-dowagers-hump-kyphosis/

[A side view of a person's body  Description automatically generated]


The commentary and the last two images were offered by Dr. Brenseke. I hope this clarifies any confusion. For Anatomy, and my lectures in particular, I am less interested in you getting hung up on the convex/concave description, so long as you can recognize the normal (and abnormal exaggeration) of the spinal column curvatures at the various regions.

-Dr. Green


Warm Regards,
MedEd

[cid:image005.png at 01DB6295.49E9CD70]
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