[3] It describes a condition where the vertebrae grow unevenly with respect to the sagittal plane; that is, the posterior angle is often greater than the anterior.

[citation needed] Scheuermann's disease is notorious for causing lower and mid-level back and neck pain, which can be severe and disabling.

[citation needed] In addition to the pain associated with Scheuermann's disease, many individuals with the disorder have loss of vertebral height, and depending on where the apex of the curve is, may have a visual 'hunchback' or 'roundback'.

The curvature of the back decreases height, thus putting pressure on internal organs, wearing them out more quickly than the natural aging process; surgical procedures are almost always recommended in this case.

However, the degree of thoracic kyphosis among Scheuermann’s patients is not necessarily correlated to back pain, quality of life, or general health.

In addition to the common lordosis, it has been suggested that between 20–30% of patients with Scheuermann's Disease also have scoliosis, though most cases are negligible.

For less extreme cases, manual medicine, physical therapy and/or back braces can help reverse or stop the kyphosis before it does become severe.

In severe or extreme cases, patients may be treated through an extensive surgical procedure in an effort to prevent the disease from worsening or harming the body.

[citation needed] In Germany, a standard treatment for both Scheuermann's disease and lumbar kyphosis is the Schroth method, a system of specialized physical therapy for scoliosis and related spinal deformities.

[13] The method has been shown to reduce pain and decrease kyphotic angle significantly during an inpatient treatment program.

[16] Braces such as the Scolibrace (kyphobrace) and Kyphologic brace systems have been shown to be effective in the treatment of Scheuermann's [16] The skeletal deformity caused by Scheuermann's disease can be corrected or partially corrected with surgical procedures, almost all of which include multi-level spinal fusion and hardware instrumentation, i.e., rods, pedicle screws, etc.

While debate lingers over which surgical approach is optimal, several studies published since 2018 suggest treatment trends are favoring posterior-only fusion.

[17][18][19] The classic surgical procedure entails entering two titanium rods, each roughly 1.5 feet (0.46 m) long (depending on the size of the kyphosis) into the back on either side of the spine.

Possible complications may be inflammation of the soft tissue or deep inflammatory processes, breathing impairments, bleeding and nerve injuries, or infection.