He died at the relatively young age of 35, having suffered from kyphosis (abnormal outward curvature of the spine) since childhood, when an illness damaged his spine.
Q. Can exercise correct kyphosis, the excessive forward curvature of the spine that is sometimes called widow's hump? A. Certain kinds of exercise may prevent or delay progression of the abnormally hunched back called hyperkyphosis but have not been proved to correct it completely, medical authorities say.
In another 2009 study, in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, women ages 65 to 80 who already had noticeable kyphosis did exercises in groups for 12 weeks and then on their own for a year.
In a study published in 2009 in the journal Osteoporosis International, involving women who were 50 to 59 years old when the study began, progression of kyphosis was prevented in those who did exercises to strengthen the extension muscles of the spine, three times a week for a year.
Excessive kyphosis is sometimes a result of musculoskeletal disease and sometimes simply the wages of not following parental advice to stand up straight.
Multiple vertebral fractures, found in 20 percent to 30 percent of cases, often result in a hunched posture, a condition called kyphosis that impairs breathing and compresses the abdomen, leading to a protruding stomach with limited capacity.
Recent studies suggest that exercises that extend the spine may help manage kyphosis in older people and sometimes improve it, though stronger evidence is needed before a general recommendation is made.
The normal forward curve of the spine is also called kyphosis.
Those who were followed up maintained a small improvement in their usual and best measures of kyphosis.
Similarly, getting a reputable rehab specialist to show you exercises to correct or prevent forward head position and kyphosis will help to protect your upper back and neck and associated headaches".
Meanwhile, because of muscle atrophy and shrinkage, the guy wires that hold the youthful spine straight become less effective, adding to the slump in a characteristic hump-backed curve called kyphosis.
