Which postural deviation is listed under thoracic level postural deviations and contractures?

Which postural deviation is listed under thoracic level postural deviations and contractures?

• A. Kyphoscoliosis
• B. Hyperlordosis of the thoracic spine
• C. Shoulder girdle weakness
• D. Backward head posture

Answer: (A)

Postural deviations are categorized by the region of the spine they primarily affect, and thoracic level deviations focus on how the mid-back and rib cage align in three planes. Kyphoscoliosis is a two-plane deformity in the thoracic region: there is an exaggerated forward rounding of the upper spine (thoracic kyphosis) along with a sideways curvature (scoliosis). This combination creates a fixed postural abnormality in the thoracic area, typically driven by muscle imbalances and contractures that pull the spine and rib cage into an abnormal shape. That makes kyphoscoliosis the classic thoracic level postural deviation and contracture.

The other options don’t fit this thoracic, fixed-deformity pattern: hyperlordosis of the thoracic spine would imply an inward curve in the thoracic region, which contradicts the normal kyphotic shape of the mid back and isn’t the standard thoracic postural deviation described. Shoulder girdle weakness refers to muscle weakness rather than a fixed spine deformity, and backward head posture is primarily a cervical (neck) alignment issue rather than a thoracic one.