LordosisSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Lordosis
Lordosis is the inward curve of the lumbar spine (just above the buttocks). A small degree of lordosis is normal. Too much curving is called swayback.
Swayback; Arched back; Lordosis - lumbar
Lordosis tends to make the buttocks appear more prominent. Children with hyperlordosis will have a large space underneath the lower back when lying face up on a hard surface.
Some children have marked lordosis that most often fixes itself as the child grows. This is called benign juvenile lordosis.
Spondylolisthesis may cause lordosis. In this condition, a bone (vertebra) in the spine slips out of the proper position onto the bone below it. You may be born with this. It can develop after certain sports activities, such as gymnastics. It may develop along with arthritis in the spine.
Much less common causes in children include:
- Achondroplasia, a disorder of bone growth that causes the most common type of dwarfism
- Muscular dystrophy
- Other genetic conditions
Most of the time, lordosis is not treated if the back is flexible. It is not likely to progress or cause problems.
Contact your child's health care provider if you notice that your child has an exaggerated posture or a curve in the back. Your provider must check to see if there is a medical problem.
The provider will do a physical exam. To examine the spine, your child may have to bend forward, to the side, and to lie flat on a table. If the lordotic curve is flexible (when the child bends forward the curve reverses itself), it is generally not a concern. If the curve does not move, medical evaluation and treatment are needed.
Other tests may be needed, particularly if the curve seems "fixed" (not bendable). These may include:
- Lumbosacral spine x-ray
- Other tests to check for disorders that could be causing the condition
- MRI of the spine
- Laboratory tests
Northwell Health Physician Partners Orthopaedic Institute At Lenox Hill
An internationally renowned spine surgeon, Frank Schwab, MD, FAAOS, specializes in complex spinal pathology, pediatric and adult spinal deformity and revision reconstruction procedures. Dr Schwab s areas of clinical focus include innovating patient-specific operative treatment, optimizing sagittal realignment guidelines, emphasizing the use of pre-operative planning technologies and techniques for complex spine surgery. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field and has pioneered many aspects of spinal deformity care, especially for patients with extensive surgical histories. Dr Schwab also developed the first definitive classification of adult spinal deformity that has become a clinical standard for spinal surgeons all over the world. Dr. Schwab is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lordosis. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Lordosis, Kyphosis, Scoliosis, Osteotomy, and Spinal Fusion. Dr. Schwab is board certified in American Board Of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Duke Spine Center - Clinic 1B/1C
Throughout my medical career, I have remained dedicated to improving my patients' quality of life. As a specialist in adult cervical and spinal deformity surgery, I understand the significant impact our interventions have on individuals suffering from debilitating pain and physical and mental health challenges. Spinal deformity surgery merges the complexities of spinal biomechanics with the needs of an aging population. My research focuses on spinal alignment, biomechanics, innovative surgical techniques, and health economics to ensure value-based care that enhances patient outcomes. Dr. Passias is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lordosis. He is also highly rated in 23 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Kyphosis, Lordosis, Scoliosis, Osteotomy, and Spinal Fusion. Dr. Passias is board certified in American Board Of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Spine.
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Dr. Khaled Kebaish serves as chief of the Spine Division in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a professor of orthopaedic surgery and neurological surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His areas of clinical expertise include spine deformities and scoliosis, degenerative spine disorders, spine tumors and disc arthroplasty. Dr. Kebaish earned his M.D. from Cairo University. He completed his residency at University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada, and performed a fellowship in spinal reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Kebaish's research interests include the clinical and functional outcomes of spine surgery with a special focus on adult deformity surgery. He also focuses on the biomechanical testing and evaluation of different fixation devices and techniques in the adult spine. Dr. Kebaish is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Lordosis. He is also highly rated in 11 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Kyphosis, Lordosis, Scoliosis, Osteotomy, and Spinal Fusion. Dr. Kebaish is board certified in American Board Of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Summary: The study will be a randomized control trial and will be conducted in DHQ and Sadiq Hospital in Sargodha District. This study will be completed in time duration of 10 months after the approval of synopsis. Nonprobability convenience sampling technique will be used and 50 participants will be recruited in study after randomization. The subjects will be divided into two groups. Group A(Experimental)...
Summary: Children with CP exhibit trunk control issues from early childhood, affecting their balance and gait. These issues manifest as unstable walking, increased step width, and more pronounced anterior deceleration of the sternum. Previous studies have shown that early action of the triceps surae compensates for the deficit in trunk postural control. Rehabilitation targeting the trunk has shown signific...
Published Date: January 02, 2026
Published By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Mistovich RJ, Baldwin KD, Spiegel DA. The spine. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 720.
Warner WC, Sawyer JR. Scoliosis and kyphosis. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 44.